The Red String of Fate: New Generation

A Waiting Game - Kakashi

Working in the Hokage's office and taking care of Sakumaru wasn't as difficult as he was afraid it would be, probably because he had plenty of help. Shizune took him when things came up, snuggling and playing with him. TonTon would touch her snout against his little nose, making him belly laugh and making everyone smile. And there were an unusual amount of kunoichi coming to his office today with various excuses to see him, which Shizune and Shikamaru found amusing.

"Mizuka's going to be jealous; you were already popular with ladies. And holding a baby? You're probably making their ovaries explode."

Kakashi glared at Shikamaru.

"Yeah, we'll be looking at a baby boom because of this."

Shizune didn't see Kakashi roll his eyes at her; she was cooing at Sakumaru. Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Kiba and Akamaru appeared in the doorway. Kakashi's heart dropped into his stomach.

"Where's the rest of Team Mizuka?"

"They're slowly making their way home from the Land of Iron-"

Kakashi remained calm on the outside, but on the inside, his head was on fire.

"What happened?"

"Lady Z overdid it on the trip; she's too weak to travel quickly. Sakura and Ino are with her. And she's nursing a baby that was orphaned in the debris."

Kakashi rested his chin on entwined fingers, closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

"I knew this was a bad idea. I should've never allowed this to happen."

Kiba stuck his hands in his pockets.

"She's okay, Sensei. Sakura and Ino didn't seem overly concerned; they just said that between Lazy Mizuka still recovering and how frail the baby she's nursing is, that it would probably take an extra couple of days to get home."

Shizune looked baffled, moving Sakumaru from one shoulder to the other, rubbing his back.

"She took on another baby?"

"Yeah. He's in bad shape: half starved and he was pretty bloody when he was pulled from the rubble. They were struggling to keep his body temperature regulated when I was ordered to come back to Konoha."

"Okay, thanks Kiba, Akamaru."

Kiba nodded and left, shutting the door behind them, leaving Kakashi with a choice to make. However, Shikamaru spoke first.

"What's the plan, Kakashi?"

He sighed deeply again.

"What do you reccomend, Shizune?"

"Well, I don't see any reason to send another team out to assist; they're safe at an inn and Sakura and Ino, two highly qualified medical kunoichi, are with her. And she herself is an Elite Healer. I'd say let's give them a couple of days and go from there if they're not home."

Kakashi nodded in agreement at the plan. It was a waiting game that he didn't want to play, but one that he had to.