Baby of Mine ~Naruto short-story~

Chapter 7: This is the End; Why Don't You Remember?

It had been six months since Clary's memory of Naruto returned. She had been happily living with her beloved nephew after returning to her old job at the academy. Everyday was another step in her recovery and she had Naruto and Kakashi helping her every step of the way. Even just the night before, Naruto had sat on the couch with her and flipped through the photo album. There were many pictures of her and holding a baby Naruto, both grinning innocently, cheerfully. There was one of a six year old Naruto blushing furiously with a stunned expression as Clary kissed his little cheek. It made them laugh.

But as she flipped the page, her face dropped. On the next page was a picture of her and Kakashi, his arm over her shoulder and both smiling happily. The ring she fondly wore on the chain around her neck was proudly displayed on her hand in the picture. Naruto noticed her face and felt for her. Even though she had regained her memories of him, her memories of Kakashi remained a mystery. She knew him as a childhood friend, someone who was in the academy with her until his graduation at age five, someone who walked home with her everyday.

It was painful. Clary wanted to know what Kakashi was to her, but they refused to tell her until she could remember on her own. She could feel a strange pull to him and knew very clearly she now had feelings for him. It had been six months, but she had yet to admit this to him. She didn't know what they used to be, and she didn't want to mess up. Everyday Clary would still visit Kakashi for a few hours and focus hard secretly on different things that might trigger some odd memory. It never worked.

Today was no exception. As they walked down the street together Clary focused on his face, trying to pull up some memory. But the last memory she had of him they were twelve and her big brother had just instated them to the ANBU, creating a team that would be feared by all opponents, the demon team. It was said that the two had such high trust for the other that never had to speak to the other to know what to do. They were fast, they were strong, and were given the names Yin and Yang for their contrasting appearances and contradicting natures.

With that she only knew that they were long time trusted friends. But she doubted a friend would react the way he does with such a pained expression. So what were they? Clary unconsciously put the ring around her neck to her lips, sucking on it as she thought. Kakashi noticed her. He had wondered in the very beginning too. If she didn't remember him, why had she kept the ring? It was a very simple ring, not necessarily beautiful in any way. So why had she kept it?

He figured it was time he asked. They stopped in the park and Kakashi bought Clary an orange popsicle, what he remembered was her favorite. As she happily licked it and bit it when it became soft he asked. "You know, I've been wondering about something."

"Yeah?" She asked, looking up.

"Why did you keep the ring? Your memory was gone, so you probably could have pawned it without thinking about it. But you didn't."

Clary looked down at her half eaten popsicle with a slightly sad expression. "I tried to..." She admitted. Kakashi's heart hurt hearing this admission, even though he had partially expected it. "I tried to get rid of it on more than one occasion. Every time I looked at the damn thing I felt like crying and it hurt my heart so badly. I felt that if I could get rid of it I wouldn't feel like that anymore. But I never could..." Clary looked up to the sky. "The minute the ring left my person I began to shake violently, terrified and suddenly lonely. I would scream and cry until I could hold it again."

Hearing this, Kakashi was speechless. She had felt like that even not knowing what it really was to her? Clary's silver eyes met Kakashi's lone black one with a fierce seriousness. "Kakashi, I need you to be honest with me. Did you give me this ring?"

What could he say? He couldn't lie to her but yet he figured that if he told her he was the one who gave it to her she would figure out there was something between them. And he didn't want to scare her. She would ask why he had given it to her and it's not exactly something you give as a Christmas present. But he knew from her actions and Naruto that she was despretly trying to remember. And he wanted her to remember. Clary... Kakashi was still very much in love with her and only wished that one day she would run to him like she had Naruto those six months ago and remember everything. But that was only a wish.