__Sara Pov__

Thankfully there wasn't another nights stay in a hospital awaiting me for when we got back to Konoha. Also, thankfully, we got back to Konoha in about half the time because of Gai. I was a little ticked he had thought of me as training, but he's pretty mentally retarded, so I'll forgive him.

After stopping by the hospital, having them healing my wound the rest of the way, I went to see the kids. They were just getting out of school and I haven't really seen them in the last three weeks thanks to all the training and missions.

When I finally got to the school playground I saw something that made my blood absolutely boil.

Ayaka, Daiki, and Junichi were all standing on the playground, but they sure as hell weren't playing. They were surrounded by a gang of boys, who were being their stupid eight year old selves. That still didn't make me forgive them though.

Ayaka was openly crying while Junichi was trying to comfort her and Daiki faced them with balled up little fists. Remaining out of sight I walked up to the scene. When I got close enough I heard one of the boys shout:

"Losers! You guys don't even have parents and you think you'll be ninja?" he jabbed. The two were completely unrelated, but he made it seem like they were.

Another boy went on with the insults, "just look at Ayaka! Her eyes are creepy, like a rainbow threw up in them!"

"Junichi is such a teachers pet too! He always does everything the teacher says and never talks!"

"Daiki is just a coward!"

The boys didn't say another word as I appeared in the center of the ring. I glared at them all individually in utter rage.

"Move it girly! We aren't scared of you, even if you are a ninja! You're probably just some weaksauce person who brings the team down!" One shouted out. He was obviously the leader as the others shouted out in agreement.

I knelt down and gave him a close eyed smile, but it was cold and I felt him flinch a little. "So what would your name be?" I asked in a tone of masked calm.

"I'm Gerard!" He said, recovering from his momentary shock and boasting his name as if it meant something.

"Well then Gerard, how about a little contest? You see, I am a really bad ninja, but I'm kinda like these kids mom. I get really protective if someone hurts my kids, ya know? So let's throw shuriken, I'll even take you all on."

"Fine! No way any of us will lose to a pathetic girl like you!" Gerard shouted. The other boys chorused agreement.

They led me off to the training hall attached to the academy. There was a target set up at one end of the open area and I looked at it in disinterest. There they stood in a line and I stood next to them. They took turns throwing shuriken at the log at the same time as me. Each time I would throw mine and knock theirs out of the air, then mine would embed itself into the center of a ring. When they had finally all gone Gerard walked up to me again.

"So you can throw some lousy shuriken, but that doesn't make you a good fighter!" he yelled.

"I don't want to hurt you though, even if you picked on my kids," I said thoughtfully.

"Ha! You won't be able to hurt any of us!"

"If I prove that I'm a good fighter to you, will you leave these three alone? As well as any other kids you're bullying?"

"Fine! But in order to do that you have to fight us all at once!" Gerard shouted into my face. I paused and looked as if I was considering it. There were 10 or so boys around me, but they were, for the most part, untrained. I let a slightly worried look come over my face and Gerard smirked.

"I'll take you on then. I won't hurt you though."

Then without another word Gerard swung his little fist at me. I danced to the side in a dodge. He seemed surprised, then upset as he punched again. Dodging yet again I was almost surprised by a kick coming up to my face. The other kids had joined in now and I weaved amongst them.

At one point two kids were throwing punched on both sides of me and I leaped up. They would have punched eachother if I had not caught both of their punches while I turned in mid air. The kids kept up their assault, but I never once threw a punch myself. The entirety of my plan was to just let them wear themselves out. In the end, that is just what they did.

I walked toward the rough line of panting boys who looked at me. By now most were awed, and some shocked that Gerard was wrong in his assesment of my skill. They seemed to hold him in some kind of leader position.

When I approached Gerard he stood, still glaring at me. I lifted my hand up to his head and he flinched a little as I flicked his forehead. After lowering my hand he looked at me, surprised that was all I had done.

I gave him a genuine smile this time, even though Ayaka, Daiki, and Junichi were made fun of because of him. "You shouldn't tease others Gerard. Sometimes you need to be accepting of others, even if they resent you. Can you do that?"

He stood stock still, his eyes completely focused upon my face. Slowly he nodded his head earnestly.

"Good! I like your spirit Gerard. You are definately a leader. My name is Sara, so make sure you remember that, because I'll be coming to visit here from time to time!"

He smiled at me widely, then tackled me in a hug for some reason, "sure thing Sara-nee!" My eyes widened at the nickname that Ayaka and them usually used. Then, like true followers, the other boys all glomped onto me and I ended up in the center of a massive group hug. I laughed and the others did as well.

_-_

I walked off, waving to Gerard and the others. After I had been hugged to near death they had all apologized to my three kids. We held hands as we walked down the busy streets of Konoha.

"Ne, Sara-nee did you mean what you said back there?" Daiki asked suddenly.

I looked down at him, "about what Dai?"

"Well..." he trailed off.

Junichi picked up the line of questioning though. "Did you mean what you said about us being your kids, and you our mom?" He heatedly asked.

My eyes widened in slight shock, but then sparkled with happiness. "Of course I did. You three are my kids, no two ways about it! I love you all."

We walked on an silence again. They were all beaming from ear to ear, then Ayaka looked up to me and stopped. The line we were walking in stopped as well and I looked to her curiously. "What's up Ayaka?"

"Can we... I mean... Since we're your kids and all... Could we call you Okaa-san?" She looked up at me with shining eyes full of need.

I smiled gently down at her, "Sure thing Ayaka. Whatever you want."

Then tears were running down all three's faces and they tackled me to the ground. We got some strange looks from the people milling about around us, but nobody asked.

Daiki looked up at me with a tear stained face, but he was smiling. "I love you okaa-san!"

"I love you too Daiki. You as well Junichi. And you too Ayaka." As I said each of their named I gave them a masked kiss on the forehead. "Now, how about we stop by a bakery and get bread, I'm sure Mayu wants to meet you!"

"YAAAY!" The three stood up and hopped around in excitement. They pulled me up and practically dragged me down the street, "let's go okaa-san!"

I smiled and let them drag me off.

_-_

"Oh! Are these the three kids you told me about before?" Mayu said in excitement.

I walked futher into the bakery with the three at my heels. "Yeah. This is Daiki, Ayaka, and Junichi. You guys, this is Mayu."

"Is she the lady that makes the yummy bread?" Ayaka asked gleefully.

"She sure is! She's also my boss."

Ayaka faced the lady in some awe. "If you're okaa-san's boss does that mean this is your bakery?"

Seeing her wide eyes Mayu and I laughed. "Yupp, I run this bakery all by myself!" Mayu replied happily.

"Isn't that hard?" Daiki asked.

"Sometimes, but now that your okaa-san works here it should be easier!"

"You're awesome!" Daiki said bluntly.

"And pretty!" Ayaka added in.

A light blush swept across Mayu's face at the praise. "Thank you, I'm glad to hear so!" Mayu's smile radiated off of her face.

"Anyways, Mayu, can we get some bread? I really want to have some with dinner tonight."

"Sure thing, how many loaves?" She asked.

I looked to the kids surrounding me. "How many loaves do you think we should get?"

They held a small discussion amongst themselves and then looked up to me. At the same time they said, "eleven!"

"Eleven? Why so many?" I said in shock and wonder.

"Because! I want one, Ayaka wants one, and Daiki wants one," Junichi explained.

"So that gets us three loaves, what about the other eight?" I tilted my head.

Daiki spoke this time, "Because there's one for you and two for Kakashi!"

I nodded understanding, "six so far, now the last five?"

"Well..." Ayaka sang, "there are four for Choji and one for Shikamaru! They usually come over, so we can have them for dinner!"

"You want Choji and Shikamaru to come over for dinner?"

The three nodded excitedly. I looked up to Mayu and saw a smile tugging at her lips. She didn't say anything and waited for my response.

"I guess we need eleven loaves of bread Mayu."

"Of course you do! I'll go get them right now," she turned to the kitchen and disapeared. A while later she reappeared with four bags. Three held two loaves of bread and the last held five. We all took a bag and headed out the door.

"Thank you Mayu, see you tomorrow." I said, then we walked home.

_-_

After dropping the loaves of bread in the kitchen the three dragged me towards the door again. I yelled into the house, knowing Kakashi was home, about the dinner with Shikamaru and Choji. He didn't respond, but I knew he heard.

We walked along the busy streets to the park where I usually found Shikamaru. Sure enough he was laying there looking at the clouds as Choji sat next to him eating chips. When the kids saw them they ran up and sat on Shikamaru. He groaned, but otherwise didn't say anything.

"Now you three, didn't you have something to ask them?" I scolded the three in mock seriousness.

The kids got up and stood in a straight line before them. Shikamaru sat up and looked at them and Choji turned his head. There was a curious glance shot to me from Shikamaru, but I shook my head and gestured to them.

"Shikamaru," Daiki looked to Shikamaru.

"Choji," Junichi looked to Choji.

"Would you..." Ayaka and the two boys looked down.

They all looked up with the cutest puppy dog looks on their faces. The two boys recoiled as if hit by a physical blow from the cuteness. "Come to dinner at our house?" the kids finally finished their request.

The two tried to look anywhere else except the three kids giving the puppy dog looks. At one point they shot me looks for help, but I just shook my head and shrugged. I could see them wavering, and finally, after a last look at the kids, agreed.

"Sweet!" Ayaka cheered. She jumped up and down with Daiki and Junichi.

"Children are scary," Choji said, wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead.

I smiled, a glint in my eye, "I taught them everything they know."

"No wonder they're such a pain," Shikamaru said, tilting his head back and letting out a mushroom sigh.

This time the three kids dragged Shikamaru and Choji to their feet and down the street. The two boys stumbled along after them.

"Oh! By the way you two, we invited pinecone along as well."

"What a drag," Shikamaru sighed yet again.

"Keep sighing like that and the hairs on your head will turn grey," I scolded.

"Whatever Sara."

"Whatever pinapple."

_End Chapter 34_