Mini_mama it's for you!

Thank you Kenouki, dora on, walke, and also Nelniel, Bang227 and Korregidora and all others who read this story (either now or 7 years ago when I started publishing it… damn…)

That's it. This is the final chapter. I can't believe I finally finished it…

CHAPTER 15

The sound was almost inaudible. No one would hear it in the neighbouring quarters. Judging by the height on which Kakashi's hand was raised Iruka expected the bullet to hit him straight in the forehead. He remembered Kakashi shooting Kabuto. There was no chance that the man would miss.

So, Iruka expected it to be quick.

He didn't even expect to feel any pain, because you don't feel pain when you instantly die, right? So he wasn't surprised when no pain came. He waited for the blackness to engulf him though…

When he heard a body hit the floor he looked down prepared to see himself sprawled on the floor in a pool of dark thick blood. He felt nauseous at the mere thought and that seemed vaguely weird too, because he shouldn't feel anything after hearing that gunshot…

Something squeezed his shoulder and his body couldn't take it anymore. He dropped to his knees and bent over emptying his stomach right into the dark red puddle which shouldn't be possible, unless Kakashi didn't shoot him in the head. If he shot him in his stomach then… it still didn't add up. Kakashi's hand was raised rather high and didn't falter.

Something was soothingly rubbing his back. It felt really nice…

"Ok, now I'm fucked." Iruka moved his head up following the voice, and looked at the pale face of the other man. Kakashi seemed troubled.

"I say we wait until it gets dark. We can pretend she's drunk and carry her out of here. We'll drop her somewhere in the park or just throw her into the river… Help me, Ruka!"

"What…?"

"Help me. Come on, it's not a time for a panic attack. We need to cover the bullet hole. I shoot her straight in the heart. I didn't want any brain tissue decorating the hall. But this won't stop bleeding right away. Fuck, it's still pumping."

Iruka still felt nauseous. Not from the sight of blood or a dead body at his feet. It was confusion, relief and total lack of air in his brain. He was going to faint.

"Ruka! Breath." Kakashi was holding his forearms and was looking into Iruka's eyes, calming him down. "Breathe. In and out." Iruka did as he was told. "Good. Very good." Kakashi's lips were hot on his cool forehead, his arms strong around Iruka's body.

"Kakashi…?"

"It's alright. She's dead. Don't worry. Just breathe. I'll make it alright. We can make it. I'll think of something, just breathe."

So Iruka breathed feeling his heart slowing down to its normal rhythm. After a moment when working his lungs was not so difficult anymore the stench of blood became more prominent and it made Iruka's stomach move again, but he stopped it from reacting. He needed to get his shit together and quick. He was alive. He wasn't dead, because Kakashi did not shoot him. Despite of what Iruka did, and who he was… Kakashi didn't kill him.

"I'm so sorry, Kakashi."

"Shhh. It's alright. I'll think of something. Just tell me who else knows about you."

"…Shika."

"You trust him?"

"Yes."

"Alright. You know we have to get the fuck out of here, right?"

"We…?"

"Well, I just shot Fromm's secretary…" He looked at Iruka questioningly. "DO you really think I'm going to leave you now?"

Iruka's voice failed him suddenly when he tried to form an answer.

"Whatever your mission was it ends here. We'll get rid of the body and I'll try to get us some fake documents. Fuck, I don't even know who I can trust… We need to get the fuck out of Berlin and hide, then find a way to flee the country. We need to go West."

And then the phone rang.

"Shit…" Kakashi pulled Iruka closer and reached for the phone.

"Hatake speaking." He listened to the voice in the receiver. Iruka watched as his eyes grew wider and he already knew that Kakashi was being informed about the assassination in the Wolf's Lair.

"I understand. I'm on my way."

Kakashi hung up and hugged Iruka tighter. "You knew?"

Iruka just nodded. "Did they succeed?"

"No, but even if they would, what the fuck did they expect to achieve?"

"I don't know… I wasn't… I didn't plan it."

"I know. It doesn't matter now." Kakashi's arms were tightening their grip.

"They want us both in a plane to the Lair right away. I'm sure they are calling your apartment right now. We need to get going."

They patched up Getrude's body and hid it in the closet. Being in the hurry there was no point in wasting time to get rid of the body. They were leaving in few hours anyway.

"Ruka?"

"Hmmm?"

"What was that 'last words' thing you pulled off back there?"

"What do you mean?"

Kakashi tilted his head to one side curiously studying Iruka's confused face.

"You didn't really think I would shoot you, did you?"

Iruka didn't answer so Kakashi growled, angry and disappointed. Iruka didn't want to disappoint him but he also didn't want to lie. Not anymore.

"You really thought I would kill you?"

"What else was I supposed to think. I'm pretty sure you killed for less than that."

"But it's you, Iruka. I would never hurt you."

It wasn't something Iruka expected to hear. In the contrary, it would be the last thing he expected. But here it was, coming out of Kakashi's beautiful lips, without hesitation and for the first time Iruka thought of possibility of being in love with another man…

…

Soon they were in the HQ in Kakashi's office, organising a plane and dealing with formalities of their departure.

"We should take Shikamaru with us. I'll put him on the list…"

"Kakashi… Shika won't leave Kurenai and his unborn nephew…"

The general looked up from the papers he was putting into his satchel.

"What are you saying, Iruka? You want to take a pregnant woman with us? We may die. And what about Asuma?"

"What about me?"

When the pilot entered the office he was only mildly surprised that Iruka was there too, or that he was the one to speak on behalf of them both.

"Asuma, I want you to take us to the Lair."

"No!" Kakashi grabbed Iruka's shoulder. "No, Ruka, we'll take someone else."

"No." Iruka pulled his hand free of the general's touch. "We'll take Asuma."

The pilot was a bit confused but at this point it didn't matter to him what Kakashi wanted. It was his only chance to flee. It was now or never.

"When?"

"Now." Asuma froze. It meant that it has already started, or maybe even happened. It meant that it really was their one and only chance to escape… and Iruka probably wasn't going to use it because he wanted to stay with that asshole Kakashi… They needed to think of something else.

"Go and prepare the plane. Who is your navigator?"

"Should be Genma but he's… indisposed…"

Iruka shook his head. "Take him anyway."

Asuma nodded but in his head there was a storm. He needed to get Kurenai out the country, even if it meant hurting Kakashi and Iruka.

"And Asuma!" Iruka was holding his sleeve.

"What is it, Iruka?"

"Asuma…"

"Iruka! Don't!" Kakashi's eye was impossibly wide, his hand on the Luger at his belt, ready to use it anymoment.

"This plane is not coming back, Asuma."

The pilot's face was shell shocked. "Are you serious, Iruka?"

"Yes, I am very serious, Asuma. If you take Genma it still leaves the second pilot and whoever they put on that plane with us."

Asuma's hopeful eyes moved from Iruka to his lifelong friend.

"Kakashi?"

The general walked up closer, now a bit calmer, and shrugged.

"Fromm's secretary found out about Ruka. I shot the bitch in my apartment. Get the plane ready as soon as possible. Trust me. We'll be back soon."

Iruka nodded in confirmation but it was clear that Asuma was still very confused.

They took a car and soon entered Asuma's apartment.

"Kurenai!" Kakashi raised his voice making sure every neighbour had heard him.

"You are under arrest for helping your brother."

Kurenai would die right then and there out of sheer shock and worry but Iruka was smiling and shaking his head.

"Pack your things. We're going." Iruka whispered in her ear, already pulling some suitcases out of a closet and helping her get her stuff.

"Iruka, can you handle this? I need to arrest her brother." He grinned viciously at the disapproving look on his lover's face and left.

Shika was packed and ready waiting for a word from Asuma but instead it was Kakashi who entered the office.

"Move your ass, brat. I'm arresting you for treason. You and your sister are coming with us."

The younger man bolted and tried to run, but Kakashi was faster and stronger. He pressed Shikamaru's lanky body to the wall.

"Heh! I just wanted to see what you would do if I said that."

"What?" Shika was looking confusedly into the general's lone grey eye.

"Calm the fuck down, kid, and pack. Asuma has the plane ready so move your skinny ass before I kick it. We're leaving. Don't make Ruka wait. You know he hates that."

Putting Shika on the list as his adjutant wasn't a problem for Iruka, but to find a reason to take a pregnant woman onto the plane was trickier. Luckily he still had keys to Kakashi's apartment.

"Welcome on board Miss Klauser." A soldier stamping her pass was smiling brightly at the black haired woman in a long trench coat. Kurenai smiled back and swiftly moved along to get inside. She wanted to go to the cockpit and make sure that Asuma was really there but she stayed knowing that she shouldn't make a fuss.

…..

After the news about the explosion in the Wolf's Lair reached the HQ everything was a mess.

"Gertrude! Where is this woman when I need her?"

Fromm's fist hit the reception desk in the hall scaring a mousy looking secretary. The girl looked up at the general.

"S-she was going to g-general Hatake's place… for lunch."

"Hatake? Great. They're lovers! She's probably still in bed. AT A TIME LIKE THIS? Take two men and go there. Break the door if you have to. I need her here. NOW!"

…..

Iruka was already there when Kakashi boarded the plane. Genma was an unmoving figure in the turret, Asuma with the second pilot were in position. They also had two other low rank soldiers assigned to get to reach the Lair.

They couldn't go West, even though after the Normandy attack it would be the easy way out. They were supposed to head to Poland so they needed to go East for at least few miles. Iruka was going to assure their safe landing on British Islands but first they needed to get there alive.

They needed to get rid of the three people that were with them on board and until they did that, there was no time to relax. Kakashi was already plotting his actions. They couldn't do anything with Kurenai in the same space. They were on a plane so logic would make them all avoid shooting, but in desperate times logic was sometimes very weak against a will to live.

He walked into the pilot's cockpit and slapped his arm on Asuma's shoulder making a small talk. In a blink of an eye his hands moved and were twisting the second pilot's head around his neck. The head fell limply forward without any sound of a struggle.

"Two more to go." Kakashi patted Asuma's shoulder one more time and left.

Shika sat close beside his sister with a dreamy smile on his lips. His eyes were fixed outside the window on white fluffy clouds and endless blue sky. He looked content.

His private mission was almost accomplished. He got Kurenai and the unborn baby out of hell. He never truly believed they would manage to stop the war or save many lives. But he really wanted to manage that one thing - saving the kid.

….

The door to Kakashi's apartment burst open revealing an empty flat. It was a mess, like someone was packing in a hurry. They moved to the bedroom and on a messed up bed they've found what they were looking for. Gertrude Klauser was lying on top of the covers, fully dressed. Beside her lied her purse. It was open with its content spilled around. Something was terribly wrong with this picture and they realized what, only after they felt for a pulse on her neck. The woman was dead.

….

The radio roared making Asuma jump.

"Captain Asuma. Is general Hatake on board of your plane?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Is there also a woman who claims to be Gertrude Klauser?"

Asuma swallowed hard. "Yes Sir."

"You are to immediately turn back. I repeat, bring general Hatake back to Berlin, immediately."

"Yes, Sir."

He tuned the radio and called his friend.

"They want me to bring you back."

Kakashi paled. "They probably found the bitch. Speed up. I'll take care of our two nuisances before they sent a fighter after us."

"If they do, we're dead. How am I supposed to avoid a fighter with this huge thing?" Asuma was beginning to have doubts. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all. Maybe they all made a terrible mistake?

"If anyone can than it's you, my friend."

Kakashi left the cockpit once again, just in time to see Iruka fix his hair. His tanned fingers were brushing through the chocolate locks, tying them again into a neat pony tail. The general sighed heavily. He wished it were his hands doing it for Ruka.

Then he looked around. Before he left to answer Asuma's call the two other man had been sitting opposite each other. One was reading some documents while the other one seemed to be asleep. Now, the one that had been reading before seemed…

He glanced at Iruka. The gorgeous man's hands were shaking and he was awfully pale. Beside his boot a red stained handkerchief betrayed what happened while Kakashi had been with Asuma.

One more to go. He took out a knife and quickly slit the sleeping man's throat.

"Kakashi…" Kurenai turned her head away and suddenly emptied her stomach onto the floor. Iruka promptly jumped in to help her. It was good. He looked like he needed something to do, to take his mind off of what he had done moments earlier.

"I'm sorry…" The woman was desperately trying to talk even though she was still heaving.

"It's alright, Kurenai. You're doing great." Shikamaru was already moving the bodies away, covering them with something. Kakashi squeezed Iruka's shoulder and wet to the cockpit to remove the third body.

"Asuma, inform the HQ that you turned back and that I reacted aggressively to that. The remaining passengers tried to restrain me but I had a gun and they had no choice but to kill me."

Asuma did exactly as he was told. The silence on the other hand was terrifying.

"Captain Asuma! Is Colonel Umino alright?"

Kakashi nodded and whispered something about a small cut.

"Yes, Sir. He suffered a minor wound but is otherwise fine. Would you like to speak to him?"

"Not necessarily. If he is alright and Hatake is no longer a threat, then your previous orders remain. What about the woman?"

"…Unconscious."

"You are to deliver Colonel Umino to the Wolf's Lair as soon as possible. I repeat, deliver Colonel Umino to the Lair. Getting Umino there is your priority but keep in mind to bring the woman back, preferably alive. She may have some information we need."

"Yes, Sir. I understand, Sir. We are turning back to the previous course. ETA 2h."

When radio silenced once again Asuma looked up at his friend and whipped the sweat from his forehead.

The sun outside was shining bright welcoming them in a new world. Soon Iruka entered the cockpit and took over the radio to make sure that English air force would not shoot them down and Asuma still couldn't believe that it was all over. The nightmare he had to live in was left behind.

And his child was going to be born free.

THE END

Thank you for reading, and good bye.