Don't tell Sasuke

Learning more than the basics

Naruto had grumbled the entire way to the training grounds. He clearly was upset with Sasuke still, for calling him an idiot or for calling me an idiot or both.

"He had no right and now he wants to tag along?!" I made out some of the grumbles. "He made you cry... ugh.. stupid Sasuke."

"Naruto," I whispered. "Maybe this is his way of apologizing." Suddenly his face twisted into a smile, but he tried to hide it so it came out as a smirk. We came up on a river and what I assumed was the training grounds.

"So what should we start with?" I asked as we finally stopped walking. I didn't want to train at first, but half way through the walk to get there I developed this sudden burst of energy. If I sat and watched him I could tell I would be crawling in my own skin with energy.

"Maybe walking up trees?" Naruto suggested, but I was hesitant. I looked over to the water and remembered seeing Itachi walking across the water when we were out for a walk.

"The water sounds like a safer alternative." They both looked over at the water and back at me.

"Walking up trees usually comes first. Channelling chakra over water is a constantly changing battle while a tree is a constant." Came a voice behind us. I knew by the voice that it was Kakashi, but I was still just as shocked. He stood on a tree branch with that closed eyed smile again. "But you're right walking on water would be safer when it comes to the risk of falling. However, only if you watch your use of chakra, and considering you probably have never used it before maybe something even more simpler should be where we start." He plucks a couple leaves off the tree and jumps down gracefully, but when he walked towards us the stiffness in his walk was still noticable. "Here." I looked down at the leaf he was handing me and frowned. I took it and then looked back up to Kakashi.

"It's a leaf?" I questioned stupidly. I mean obviously, but why did I have a leaf in my hand?

"Place it on your forehead. Focus all your chakra there to make it stick to your forehead." I looked at him and again at the leaf, I placed it on my forehead but it quickly slipped off. I picked it back up and leaned back my head to keep it there so I could focus my chakra there first then see if gravity takes it.

"Kakashi sensai, how did you even know where we were?" Naruto asks ciriously, while I tried in vain to keep the leaf stuck to my forehead.

"I just wanted to make sure you didn't kill Hotaru here before her meeting with the Hokage." He avoided the question, but it was easy to tell all he did was track their chakras. I frowned again as the leaf gently slide of my forehead and fell to the ground.

"Try to use the leaf as a place to focus the chakra, don't focus on making it stick." I took a deep breath and sighed but nodded anyway. I closed my eyes and focused.

I was pleasantly surprised that kakashi was being so warm towards me. He needed to trust me for the protection of my own child. I needed him to protect my baby if it came to it. If I really made improvement in practising, maybe... maybe I could help Itachi. He had unintentionally hinted at being part of something else. Something he was in for only one reason, to protect those around him. I had only guessed this by what I over heard him and his partner Kisame talk about. I wasn't supposed to know about Kisame, but I was careful not to bring it up to Itachi-- though I was positive that he knew I knew about his blue skined friend.

I focused deeply on the leaf and the baby inside me. The baby that was not planned, but certainly changed all my plans. I felt a warm sensation arise from deep inside me through out my body and I pushed it towards the leaf.

Without warning I felt like I needed to throw up, the world around me swayed. I opened my eyes and lurched forward and ran for the river. Puking into it, then watching as my previous meal quickly disappeared from view. I sighed and closed my eyes before opening them back up and washing my face a bit with the river's water, I felt a slight stiring inside me. I could still feel the warm sensation where I had sent it and looked at my reflection in the river to see the leaf sticking to my forehead.

I stood back up and turned to three smiling, but the guys stared at me if not a little helplessly. Naruto's eyes looked at my forehead and pointed. I nodded and gave a laugh.

"Disgusting." Sasuke muttered.

"Haha, yea the baby sure didn't like that!" I looked down at my stomach with a hand on it.

"Let's leave it at this, but here. You can read through these. I was able to gather some basic scrolls for you." Kakashi handed over a pouch that was tied to his belt. "I would suggest that the two of you prepare for the exam tomorrow." And with that Kakashi poofed away.

"I want to learn how to do that." I muttered as I saw him disappear. I looked down into the bag and noticed at least three scrolls stuffed into the small thing.

We then all decided that we would all head back home. My mind raced with everything that had been happening over the course of the two days. This village seemed more like home than my other one ever did. All that was missing was Itachi...

"Hotaru are you okay? Is it because of the baby?" Naruto asked seeming worried about me.

"Yeah, it actually is. I love this village so much already. I just wish my baby's father could share this with me." I was worried about revealing too much, but also knew I could cover it up with a lie.

"Why isn't he here then? WAIT, yeah why did he let you travel all by yourself?" Naruto seemed irritated once he thought about it some more. I chuckled and shook my head.

"Naruto it's okay, he simply couldn't come with me. He's dead." My heart ached at the thought of Itachi ever being dead, and then it ached worse knowing that as a missing ninja his fate was likely sealed with death. Suddenly I was silently crying, tears streaked my face.

"Wait, Hotaru, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's okay. Please don't be upset with me." I waved him off and blamed it on the hormones. I quickly said my goodbyes and hurried up the stairs and into my apartment to stop the embarrassment of crying like a baby in front of the two boys.

I wiped my tears away on my sleeve and placed down the scrolls on the table, and actually got dressed into pajamas even though it was still early, I just wanted to be in something more comfortable.

The pajamas were one of the outfits I brought with me, the rest being two everyday outfits, and one for colder weather.

I suddenly felt extremely sleepy, and wished for nothing but to sleep. I jumped on my bed again and as soon as my head hit the bed it was lights out.

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I lay in bed unable to move anything but my eyes. I looked down to see my stomach extremely swollen and large. My shirt couldn't cover it and was actually just under my larger breasts.

I hear a movement to my left, but I still couldn't move, I was paralyzed. I became extremely scared as the room light went off and an exam room light turned on above me.

A man with a pale complexion, yellow eyes, and long dark hair held a scalpel in his hand. I tried to shout or struggle as I saw the yellow eyed man's tongue become extremely long and lick the sharp blade just before it began the descent towards my stomach, but I couldn't move an inch, I was trapped inside myself.

The scalpel dug into my skin and I felt as if I was on fire, sweat spilled over from every pore on my body. I watched as blood oozed and sputtered from areas along the long angry slice. Then a baby was ripped from inside me. A too small pale baby boy, he was still and wasn't crying.

That's when I felt release and I heard a blood curddling scream. It took me a while to realize the sound was coming from me. I was screaming, it was all I could do as I watched the lifeless raven haired baby leave from my sight. I screamed and didn't stop even when my lungs burned for air.
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I shot up from my bed frantically reaching for my stomach searching for the much much smaller baby bump. My hands were just as sweaty as the rest of me and I sobbed softly as I confirmed he was still inside me. He was alive, and safe.

I stood up on shaky legs and dressed myself. I drank a bit of water and decided I needed some fresh air. To be safe I slipped my kuni into the pouch Kakashi gave me and tied it to my waist band.

Luckily for me ninjas were up at all kinds of hours so I decided I would find a grocery store and buy some things for the house.

At all times I had a hand on my stomach, afraid someone might steal him from me.