The Chain

Kakashi was enjoying watching the myriad of emotions go across Sarah's face as her mouth dropped open a bit from what he had said.  He clucked her under the chin, closing her gaping mouth before winking and walking over to where Melissa and Iruka were standing.  They were both staring at him with wide eyes and dumbfounded expressions on their faces.  It had to be the first time in all the long years he had known them both that they were completely speechless.  He almost laughed looking at their slack jawed faces.

"Are you both busy tonight?" he asked them in that bored tone he had perfected.

Iruka blinked first and cleared his throat, "Well... I was going to take Melissa out..."

Kakashi grinned under his mask, "What better place to take her than to her best friend's wedding?"

"Are you seriously going to marry her?!" Iruka's mouth hung open again as his eyes widened.

Kakashi laughed and slapped him on his shoulder.  "I've been waiting since we were kids to marry her."  He put his hands on his friend's shoulders, "I want you there."

Melissa finally snapped out of it and poked him in the chest, "You better not be fucking with her mind, Kakashi Hatake, or I'll be coming after you."

His brows shot up before his eyes narrowed as he leaned towards her.  "You have always been her good friend, but you don't have to protect her anymore."

She shifted on her feet for a minute, her eyes shifting as Sarah finally started heading their way.  The look she was giving Kakashi was one she had never seen on her friend's face.  She sighed heavily, "What time and where?"

"The temple in two hours," he responded before plucking Phoenix out of her arms.  "So, tell me why ever did you fight with Tai today?"

Phoenix was staring at him with a huge smile on her face, her blue eyes dancing with excitement, all too eager to share with him.  Sarah's mouth dropped open when she said, "I was telling everyone that I met you today and he said, 'Lord Sixth is a murderer' and I said, 'no he's not you take that back'.  He then he started yelling, so I punched him in the balls like Mama always said to do."

Sarah gasped and he looked at her while chuckling, "Really, Sarah?"

"I-I told her to do that if a boy was hurting her, not just because she was mad..."

Phoenix grinned at her, "Mama, he did hurt me.  He hurt my heart."  She then giggled, "He looked so funny when he fell over while grabbing his-"

"Phoenix!" Sarah cut her off before she could finish that sentence, her face really red.

Melissa started laughing hard, "Now that's my goddaughter!"

"Melissa don't encourage her," she growled low.

Kakashi gave the girl in his arms a smile, "Thank you, Phoenix, for defending me."

Phoenix preened and Sarah covered her face.  The girl would be undaunted now.  Kakashi looked over at her and extended his free hand to her.  Sarah bit her lower lip before placing her hand in his own.  "We should get going.  I have to find Yamato and Guy so they can meet us at the temple as well."

"I'll take care of that for you," Iruka said.

"I'll find Orion and Neo," Melissa then volunteered.

"Thank you," Kakashi responded to them both before tugging on Sarah's hand to head back towards town.  He pulled her up alongside him and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Where do you live, Sarah?"

Sarah managed to get out where they lived, and he started in that direction.  She was barely able to speak, let alone say anything else.  The looks they were getting were quite telling as they went down the busy streets.  He was going to marry her?  It was so shocking she hadn't fully recovered, she half wondered if Mai had actually won the fight and she was knocked out somewhere.  It was like something out of one of her novels.