We sneak out of the water with a transformation jutsu, turning ourselves into ducks. Usually, I'd laugh at how ridiculous the situation is but Kakashi's recent realization is still looming in the front of my mind.

Does this woman really have the same chakra as my Uncle Hiruzen? How is that even possible?

I know that Uncle Hiruzen had more children, another child other than Asuma who joined ANBU and ended up having Konohamaru. Those family relations are unclear to me. All I know is she and her husband are ANBU captains. I don't know what an ANBU captain would be doing way out here on a night like this.

The only thing I know for sure is that Hiruzen did have one other sister. My mother.

I shake my head, trying to push the thought of encountering my mother out here, while on my honeymoon, out of my head. She disappeared years ago and nobody really knows where she went or if she's even still alive.

"Hey," Kakashi murmurs, shifting his weight to be closer to me in this make-shift shelter. I can hear his heart beating in his chest. He wraps his arms around me, holding me tight. "Whoever she is, we'll deal with it in the morning, okay? There's nothing we can do right now. It's best not to approach her this late anyways."

I nod, closing my eyes and allowing his comfort and warmth to envelop me. Still, the thought doesn't leave my head. What if this is my mother? All these years later, am I about to finally meet her? And if it really is her, how should I act? Hell, how should I feel? Should I be mad at her for abandoning me all those years ago or should I be kind because she is my mother?

My brain continues to roll throughout the night, thoughts transforming into dreams and dreams into nightmares. I wake in the morning to the dewy smell of the morning forest and cool breeze. Kakashi is not beside me anymore.

When I crawl groggily out of the shelter, I momentarily regret leaving. The body heat we'd built up through the night was keeping the shelter pretty warm, and the harsh reality of the cold morning air hits me like a ton of bricks.

Kakashi is nowhere to be seen. I'd assumed he'd gotten up to bathe or sit outside so as not to wake me, but he appears to have disappeared. Sighing, I close my eyes and tiredly suppress my chakra, trying my best to take notice of all the other chakra signatures in a five-mile radius and seek out Kakashi's.

I notice his unmoving form to the east, about a hundred steps away. I'm about to stop suppressing my own chakra and go find him when I notice something faintly familiar in the distance. It's coming from the farm-town less than a mile upstream. This must've been the chakra Kakashi was noticing last night. It's so faint I can barely feel it, but unique enough to strike my interest. When I finally stop suppressing my chakra and let go, a wave of relief falls over me. I've never been very good at seeking out other peoples' chakra. It's a skill they made us learn in ANBU but it always exhausted me after just a single use and I could only recognize very distinct chakra signatures, of people that I've known for a long time.

That's partly why I find it so strange that I recognize this stranger's chakra from a mile away. It's almost like a half-way between Uncle Hiruzen's chakra and my own.

"This can't be," I mutter, mostly to myself, but my words made it to another's ears as he walks up behind and startles me. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't even notice him, despite the fact I had his chakra signature pinned just a few moments ago. Kakashi places a hand on my shoulder and pulls his headband back down over his sharingan.

"Ready to go check it out?" he asks, giving me an assuring squeeze on the shoulder. Wordlessly, I nod as my feet carry me forward.

People nod kindly to us as we pass through the town. These townspeople have relied on Konoha shinobi for decades and always welcome them with kindness and great hospitality. A few even linger on Kakashi himself, whispering among themselves things like 'is that the White Fang?' or 'He has to be that Sharingan guy, I've seen him in the bingo books'. And now I finally understand Kakashi's desire for that mask of his.

I whisper for his ear only, "You've got quite the reputation."

He looks sidelong at me with an eye that speaks pure boredom, "That was my father. He became infamous after he sacrificed the mission for his comrades. Back then, that was one of the worst things a man could do, jeopardizing the village for one's friends. He was deemed a traitor, and if not for the kindness of the Hokage, he might have been tried for treason."

I furrow my brows to show my concern but he shrugs it off.

"I'm used to it."

As we continue to walk, I notice Kakashi closes his grey eye every now and then. No doubt opening his sharingan behind the headband to seek out the mysterious woman's familiar chakra nature again. He suddenly stops and I stop too, then watch as he opens his grey eye again and looks around.

I do the same but see nothing but empty buildings. Residences, no doubt. The villagers must all be out farming or in the center of town in the market area.

But Kakashi turns to one particular shack, modest and well-kept, before looking back at me.

"In there?" I ask, though I already know. The look in his eye confirms my suspicions. I take a deep breath, thoughts running rampant in my head.

My mother could be in there. What will I say to her? How should I feel right now?

"Are you sure you want to?" Kakashi whispers. "We could leave, you know. Pretend none of this ever happened. We don't have to tell anyone."

That exact thought has already crossed my mind a hundred times. It's one of the things that kept me up last night. But every time I consider that option, a very potent feeling guilt and regret creeps in. So I shake my head, letting go of his hand and taking a step forward. He stays close behind me as I reach for the door to knock.

This feels strangely familiar to the time I knocked on Hiruzen's door to ask him to act as my father at my wedding. A feeling of familiarity. Guilt. Hope. Pain. Nerves. All of the above. A terrible concoction of them all.

I knock quietly, three times, then step back and wait. The tension in the air is thick. I know Kakashi feels it too. He feels nervous for me. Maybe it isn't my mother. Maybe the similar chakra nature is pure coincidence. It's rare, but it does happen.

After a few seconds, when there's no answer, I knock again.

"Are you sure this is the right one?"

Kakashi lifts his headband and opens his sharingan to be sure and nods. "She's just sitting there. I can see her chakra outline."

Suddenly, Kakashi takes a step back. The door opens slightly and a dark figure stands in the doorframe.

"Can I help you?" a woman's voice croaks. She sounds surprisingly young but her voice still cracks like that of an old woman's. I can't quite see her features, other than long hair and a frail, bony figure.

"Uh," I murmur, words failing to make it past my lips. I thought for hours about how I would feel if she was my mother but never what I should say to her to figure that out. Thankfully, Kakashi senses my anxiety through the pause and steps forward. To no surprise, he's covered his eye again.

"Hello," he starts, in a business-like voice. "We're from Konoha."

"I see that," the lady answers nonchalantly, waving to our headbands.

"Can we come in?" I ask, "Or can you come out?" God, the words sound worse out loud than they did in my head.

"What business do you have with me?"

"We want to ask-"

Kakashi cuts in, speaking with a strange err of confidence. He was always better at infiltration and disguise missions than I ever was; hence why he was Captain and I never even came close. "We're here on a mission from Lord Hokage, to survey the occupants of this farm town and get their opinions on a few things. May we come in?"

Not a second later, the door opens fully and we're motioned in tiredly. The inside is dark but once we're in, my eyes start to adjust. A small, single-room bungalow. Small but comfortable. One table, a chair, a bed. Floors made of dirt, but surprisingly clean.

The woman sits on the edge of the bed and offers us the single chair, of which Kakashi gestures for me to take. He stands behind me, hands resting on the back of the chair. He's tall for this small home; his voluminous swoop of silver hair almost touches the roof.

When I get a better look at the woman, I notice her hair is in fact brown, and her eyes are a soft hazel. Though I can't say I particularly recognize her from looks alone. In my dreams, she was always younger looking and had a strong, pointed jaw; like Hiruzen's. But in person she looks older, with crow's feet forming in the corners of her eyes and cheeks beginning to sag.

"I know you've not come all the way here for a survey," she says, crossing her arms in front of her. I feel my breath catch in my throat, though I don't really know why. She looks up at Kakashi and squints. "Now what is the son of the White Fang doing in my house? And who are you?" She asks, nodding her chin towards me. I shrivel down a bit, realizing she doesn't recognize her own daughter.

It dawns on me. Of course she doesn't. She left me when I was just a baby. She doesn't know what I look like.

Kakashi tilts his head, analyzing her. "How do you know who I am?"

The lady huffs before smirking, but her expression remains unreadable. I can't tell if she's a friend or an enemy right now.

"We hear things," she answers simply. "Word travels fast in this small village."

"Hm," Kakashi grunts in reply, and shoots me a look. She's lying, we both know that. Kakashi didn't sense another chakra signature in this direction at all since we entered the village, and he kept close attention on her chakra signature while we tried to find her.

When I've finally gathered my thoughts, I take my turn.

"You're right, we're not here on a mission from the Hokage. We're here for other reasons but saw you last night by the waterfall lake."

She nods, eyebrows slightly perched, "Obviously. And what concern is it to you? You're certainly allowed to camp by our lake but you have no right to prevent me from."

For a moment I wonder if she saw us and feel heat rise to my cheeks.

"What's your name?" I finally ask, though I think I already know the answer. Akaya. Akaya Sarutobi. That was my mother's name.

She sighs before standing up to pour some water for us, signifying she's a friend and not an enemy. I'm able to relax just a little.

"My name is Kyoka."

All that relaxation I felt just a moment ago disappears faster than it came.

For a moment, I don't say anything. I just stare at the woman and take the glass of water absentmindedly from her. Her eyes look suspiciously observant, like she knows something I don't.

"But-" Once again, the words don't make sense in my brain. There are a million thoughts scrambling in my tired mind.

Then I feel his hand on my shoulder, subtle yet comforting. I look up and meet his single grey eye.

"It could just be a coincidence, the similarity of her chakra nature. I'm sorry I got your hopes up Aya."

I look back at the woman who sits on the bed and sighs, sipping her water quietly while keeping her eyes low.

"No," I say, pushing my chair closer. "No, that can't be right. You have his chakra signature. Your eyes are hazel, like mine. And I know lots of people have brown hair but it can't be a coincidence that we both have all the exact same features."

I didn't even realize I was leaning forward in my chair until Kakashi lightly pulls me back.

"We should go," he whispers. "Come on, Ayame. Let's not dwell on it." He uses my full name, something he does seldom anymore. He usually refers to me by his shortened nickname for me, Aya. There's an edge in his voice that says he means it. "Let's go."

But I refuse to let this go. I refuse to allow this woman to screw me over again because somehow, I feel like she's either forgotten her own identity or is blatantly lying. It has to be her.

"Akaya," I say pointedly, using my mother's real name, hoping to get some sort of reaction out of her. "I'm done with the lies. Please," I practically beg now, because I'm at my wit's end. "Don't do this again. Don't make yourself a stranger." I watch but still, she keeps her head low, holding onto the water glass with two frail hands.

Kakashi has taken my arm and is leading me out of the bungalow when I turn back one last time. Her head is down, she still has not looked up at me. Then, just as we're about to leave, she peeks up at me, tears in her crinkled eyes. She's finally cracked.

I tug and remove my arm from Kakashi's grasp and stand above the old woman as she looks up at me with eyes full of regret. She tries so hard to hide it, but I can see it clear as day. I know it so well because I've seen it on myself in the mirror a million times.

It's the same terrible look I have whenever I think about my abortion all those years ago.

"Mom?"

A single tear slides down her face and then she smiles. Bittersweet, because her eyes still speak of the pain and sadness and regret. Her tone speaks the same way as her expression, "I didn't want it to be like this, Ayame."

This moment is unlike anything I'd ever imagined. I feel Kakashi step up beside me and examine the woman once more, his thin brows furrowed as he tries to analyze the situation. I take his hand in mine and give it a squeeze.

"Mom," I say again, tears threatening one after another to fall from the corners of my eyes. I consider all the terrible words I've thought towards my mom throughout my lifetime. All the horrible curses and angry words I've so desperately wanted to tell her. In this moment, I feel no desire to speak those words. It feels unreal. I thought of all the terrible words but never thought I'd actually get the chance to say them, and now that I do, I don't want to. All I want to do is tell her every happy thing that's ever happened to me, all my accomplishments, how hard I've worked to become who I am today.

I want to make her proud.

And so the only words that come out of my mouth are ones that speak of my most prized accomplishment. "I'd like you to meet my husband, Kakashi Hatake."

Her eyes trail to the silver haired man in the doorway. For a moment, there's a look of familiarity, maybe even nostalgia. They exchange curt nods before my mother's eyes return once more to me.

"I'm sorry-" we both start to speak at the same time then stop, offering to let the other one go first.

"I'm sorry I left you all those years ago. I wasn't ready for parenthood... I was only 17. But not a day has gone by I haven't regretted my actions but I couldn't come back because my brother wouldn't let me, he classified me a traitor and a rogue and I had to make a new name for myself, a new identity, and- and I wanted to come see you but you probably know the type of treatment rogues get when they return to their villages and-"

"I get it, Mom." I say, barely a whisper. I move slowly, tentatively, taking a seat once again on the wooden chair by the bed. Kakashi remains in the doorframe. "It seems we both have stories to tell. It's been a long time, and a lot happens in a long time."

Her eyes tear up again and she sets her cup on the table with shaking hands. This is both difficult and wonderful for both of us. It's something neither of us ever thought would happen.

"How old are you now?" I can hear the pain in her voice as she asks me the question. The underlying question is all too present: 'How long has it been since I abandoned you?'

"Thirty."

There's silence and Kakashi re-enters the room, crouching on the ground beside my chair and looking up at my mother.

"We all do things we regret. If I've learned one thing in my lifetime, it's that we have to live in the present if we are to endure the past and future."

My mother's lips turn into a slight smile, "You remind me so much of your father." And now the look of familiarity and nostalgia from earlier makes sense.

"You knew my father?" Kakashi asks, breaking his strong and confident manner for a state of bewilderment.

She nods, "We were in the academy together. Sakumo was a good friend of mine. But that's a story for another time."

The words escape my lips quickly, without a single thought. "Come back to the Leaf Village with us."

Instead of the excited reaction I expected from her, she just frowns. "I can't. Hiruzen won't allow it."

"Hiruzen is dead."

Her eyes widen as she looks to Kakashi for confirmation; maybe an old habit of hers, looking to her friend Sakumo in a tough situation.

"Oh," she says, voice low. I might never understand the dynamic between my mother and Hiruzen but I do know that she only feels slightly hurt upon hearing this information, based on her underwhelming reaction. I won't deny that Hiruzen treated her badly, though I shouldn't spend my time criticizing the dead.

"Did you really care about Hiruzen, Mom? What happened between you two?"

She places a hand on my knee, "That's a story for another time, my dear."

"So will you come back with us?" She looks as if she's trying to come up with some kind of excuse so I cut in quickly, "Come back with us and tell me your stories. Tell me everything. Tell it to your future grandchildren. Please."

After a moment of contemplation, she nods, but keeps her head down.

"I can't wait to tell you everything," I say with a smile impossible to suppress. Her head remains down and once again, she is unreadable.

But she's coming home. And that's all that matters right now. Everything else will fall into place at the right time.