The Light That Seeps Through the Trees

Chapter 44:A Night In the Leaf Village

Ino slept peacefully. She was covered by a thin blanket.

Himawari stood a few feet from her bed watching her.

"Sai" Ino mumbled in her sleep. Himawari looked away from her face feeling her heart clench.

I'm sorry.

Himawari grabbed the blanket on the edge of the bed and pulled it over Ino. The night was cold and the thin blanket didn't do enough to keep her warm.

Himawari left her room silently. She walked past her old room. Curiousity got the best out of her. She wondered if her room was the same as when she left or if Ino had gotten rid of it. Honestly Himawari wouldn't blame her for it.

She slowly stepped into her old room.

A few blocks away Kenzo arrived from a misison. He decided against going home in his current state. His vision was getting worse as time passed and using his mangekyo sharingan was definitely not helping.

Kenzo groaned holding his hand over his eyes as he used the other to support himself against a tree.

"How long did you think you could keep it from me?" Sasuke asked.

Kenzo groaned as the pain intensified in his eyes. He felt his body fall forward only to be caught by Sasuke.

Sasuke held onto him as the pain passed. Finally after a few minutes the pain had subsided.

"I told you not to use it. I warned you of the price you would have to pay."

"It's a price I'm willing to pay." Kenzo replied.

"Why?" Sasuke asked even though he knew the answer.

"I've gotten closer to finding Himawari's location. I just need to keep up a bit more and I'll be able to get to her."

"Himawari doesn't plan on coming back. When you find her what will you do?"

Sasuke saw as his son clenched his fist angrily, "I don't care what I have to do as long as I get her back. She belongs here. She belongs with me."

Sasuke felt quite shocked at the next words that left his sons mouth, "I love her."

Kenzo felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to the side to his dad staring at him.

"We will get her back but you can't get her back if you're weak and blind. Stop using the mangekyo sharingan and we will find another way. Now go and rest."

Kenzo decided against arguing with his father. There was no point to it. Sasuke would not give in and neither would Kenzo. He would just keep using it when Sasuke was out of sight.

Sasuke gave another walk around the whole village making sure nothing looked out of the ordinary. As he walked past Ino's house he sensed something was off. He jumped up onto the roof landing softly. He activated his sharingan and was able to see.

"Himawari"

Himawari stood in her old room. Her old room was exactly as she had left it. Nothing had been touched or moved. She extended her hand taking a book into it. She opened the book to find different flowers pressed into it. She flipped to the last page. The one that held a sunflower.

Her mind was taken back to the day she had spent with her father. Where he took her around the village to find Kurama. It was such an amazing day. Then a week later her mom had helped her flower press the sunflower to her book.

Himawari closed the book pushing it back into its old place. She managed to prevent the tears from falling instead she took the sadness and made it her strength. She turned it into the fuel she needs to continue her final steps.

Turning away from her desk she was shocked to find Sasuke standing in front of her window.

"Uncle Sasuke"

Sasuke didn't say anything. He focused on looking her over. It had been a long time since he had seen her. Four years had gone by since he had last spoken to her.

Himawari had changed. Her hair had grown longer over the years, reaching past her back. Her face had slimmed down losing all of her baby fat. She had also grown a bit taller.

"I believe it's time for me to go" Himawari spoke.

Sasuke grabbed her arm stopping her as she was about to walk past him.

"I'm not Naruto. I won't ask you or beg you to stay."

Sasuke saw as Himawari moved her head to look at him. "I know you're not and I don't expect you too."

Sasuke's gripped on her arm tightened, "I'm not as merciful as Naruto. I will force you to stay."

In a second Sasuke had Himawari in a position where she was unable to move.

Himawari didn't struggle. With a smirk she said, "you really have lost your touch uncle Sasuke."

Poof!

Himawari was gone. Her shadowclone disappearing leaving a stunned Sasuke.