Crossing Over (#2 In Shifting Series)

A Groom, A Bride... a baby?

Melissa slowly started hearing beeps as she came up out of her deep sleep.  She knew she was in a hospital without even opening her eyes.  Her head was aching but overall she felt fine.  Slowly she opened her eyes and was surprised as she saw Kakashi lounging on a chair to her left.  He was reading... she groaned inwardly.  Really Kakashi?  Still with the porn, huh?  Yet something was different about him.  His headband was pulled down over his left eye and for a moment, she wondered if his eye had been injured in the battle.

His one uncovered eye glanced up from the book and beneath the mask, she thought she saw a whisper of a smile.  "Oh good, you're finally awake.  Iruka will be so relieved.  I made him go home and clean up about thirty minutes ago."

"Your father has a message for you," she said after a moment. Kakashi's brow rose and he set the book down to lean forward.  "He said that he and your mother are at peace now in the afterlife."

Kakashi gave a long heavy sigh, his eye narrowing with his smile.  "That makes me very happy."

"He also said... you're welcome."

Kakashi tilted his head to the side, "What does that mean?"

Melissa chuckled softly, "He's the one that made it possible for Sarah to come here.  Something about appealing to a higher power?  I didn't quite understand that part and I left shortly after he whispered it to me."

Kakashi almost dropped his book.  She watched as his eye moistened and he blinked the tear that had started to form back.  "I'll be damned."

She tilted her head to the side, "Did your eye get damaged?"

Kakashi laughed softly while shaking his head.  He reached up and pulled the headband back.  She gasped as she saw the Sharingan in place.  It was actually almost shocking to look at in his face, she was so used to seeing him without it.

"How?"

"Sarah made Sakura implant Jaylyn Uchiha's eye in me after we killed her.  She thought that since we seem to keep getting put in dangerous situations that I should be back to full power."  He dropped the headband back into place.  "It's actually nice having it back, although I had gotten used to not having to cover that eye all the time."

Melissa grinned, "Kakashi of the Sharingan returns."

The door opened and Iruka came in quickly.  His hair was still damp, attesting that he had gone home and cleaned up as fast as he could.  When he saw her sitting up and awake, he quickly came forward and kissed her.  Oh she would never get tired of those kisses.

Kakashi cleared his throat, "I'll leave you two alone."

Melissa laughed after Iruka kissed her again and again and again.  "My word...  I feel fine.  A bit of a headache but I'm fine."

Iruka held her face between his hands as he looked her in the eyes.  "You died Melissa.  I never felt so bad in my life as I did seeing Sakura trying to bring you back to us.  Please don't ever ask to come on any missions again."

"I won't," Melissa responded.  "Unlike Sarah, I don't want to be a part of any of that ever again.  My heart can't take seeing you injured like you were."

He smiled at her before sitting on the side of the bed, "It wasn't anything serious.  They patched me up rather quick.  You on the other hand... Sakura said that every part of your brain was active at one time.  It was too much for your body to handle.  She said it was a miracle there was no brain damage once they got it to calm down."

Melissa flinched, remembering everything that had happened.  "Yes... He was so powerful, Iruka, but I had to hang in there long enough for them to destroy him.  The things I saw... the knowledge I gleaned...  I don't understand most of it as it was way beyond my understanding.  They were so far beyond us.  He was the last of his kind.  He wanted revenge because he was Kaguya was his fiance and when he realized she was killed and that he was the last... he wanted revenge."

"Naruto and Sasuke vaporized him," Iruka said with a grim nod.  "There was nothing left.  Whatever you did inside his brain stopped him long enough for them to hit him with everything they had in them."

"I'm glad," she smiled.  "I met your parents."

Iruka's eyes widened, "You did?"

"Yes, they are very proud of the man you have become and..." She felt her cheeks flush, "They said you were going to be a great father."

Iruka slowly started smiling, "So you already know.  I was wondering how I was going to break that news to you."

Melissa loved this man so much.  She cupped the side of his face with her hand, staring into those beautiful brown eyes.  She hoped their child had his eyes. He turned his face into her hand before kissing her palm.

"I love you, Melissa Warner," Iruka breathed out.  "I can't imagine my life without you anymore."

***

Melissa stared at her image in the mirror with wonder.  Sarah was fluffing out the bottom of the dress while Misti was arranging the veil on her head.  Sarah had taken the message from Ben and Anaise with a lot of tears then a lot of thankfulness.  She had laughed when she had relayed the specific message from her daughter about not getting there too soon.  She did not tell her what Sakumo had sent with her for Kakashi.  She felt that it was enough that Kakashi knew how she had actually been brought there.

Misti had returned with the boy a few days before and had been rather gloomy.  Melissa was not sure what was going on between her and Guy but whatever it was, it had changed her disposition considerably.  She had actually not seen Guy since he had left for the Land of Sand.  That was a mystery that she could not quite decide if she wanted to find out about or not.

Melissa was still laughing, though, about how both boys had returned home with heavy weights strapped to their legs.  Apparently Guy was trying to make them super strong early in the game.  Sarah and Kakashi had both almost blown a gasket on that one.

Sarah straightened up as Misti went to the door at a soft knock.  Her friend looked at her with love in her eyes.  "You are so beautiful, Melissa.  I'm so happy you and Iruka found each other."

"It's time," Misti called over her shoulder.

Sarah gave her a hard hug before hurrying out of the room with Misti.  Melissa gave herself one last critical lookover before starting towards the door.  Iruka was waiting just outside and she almost stopped in her tracks as she looked at him in full dress attire.  He was so handsome that her heart felt like it was going to burst.  The look he was giving her showed more than appreciation for the way she looked to.  It was a promise that they were going to literally run out of the wedding as soon as possible.

She slid her hand in the crook of his arm as the doors opened.  Sarah was standing on one side of the man that would marry them.  Naruto was standing on the other.  The room was full of people, so many in fact that she felt a blush coming to her face.  It was primarily for Iruka as she knew most of them present was his past and current students.  He was well loved in the community and by extension, she was well loved as well.

They stepped forward and walked to the front to join their lives together forever.