The Princess of Three Clans

Chapter 5

Sometime after I met up with Ino who suggested that a few of our classmates go out and get to know each other since everyone has been busy getting ready for graduation. So now, sitting in the barbeque place was, Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Lee, Neji, Tenten, Dad, Uncle Gai, Kurenai, and Uncle Asuma.

It's been three weeks since I've come back. Earlier today we had our teams picked. Team 7, with my dad, was Naruti, Sakura, Sasuke and myself. Tram 8, with Kurenai, was Hinata, Kiba and Shino. Team 10, with Uncle Asuma, was Ino, Shikamaru, and Chibi. Lee, Neji and Tenten were already on a team with Uncle Gai. I wish I could have grown up with everyone and not miss 5 years of memories. Maybe I could have been friends with Naruto so he wouldn't have been lonely.

"Kiara?" Jerking my head up I came to see everyone staring at me. I glanced over at Sasuke, who was waving his hand in my face. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I said blinking. "I was just thinking."

"You must have been thinking pretty hard not to hear us calling you," Ino said concerned.

"Really," I smiled trying to reassure them. "I'm okay. I just zoned out."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered.

"You want to say today to my face," I growled looking over at him. His eyes widened and his face turned red as he shook his head. Nodding I turned back to Ino. "What were you saying?"

"I wanted to know if you wanted to go shopping with Sakura and I," she suggested. My eyes started tearing up against my will when she said that. Her eyes widened in shock and she waved her arms around. Sasuke pulled me to his chest and rocked me slowly.

"It's okay, Ino," I whispered. "It's just that no one has ever asked me to do something like that. I didn't have very many friends where I came from."

"Where did you come back from," Uncle Asuma asked slowly. "How did you even find your way back?"

"I guess it's time to tell my story," I sighed. Sasuke turned and set his legs on either side of me so my back was resting against his chest. "Five years ago, on the night of the incident, I found him in the living room. He told me why he had to do what he did. I pulled out one of his kunai accepting what he couldn't do. Instead of dying I was sent to another universe. One with no ninja. There I was found by a couple that couldn't have any children. We were one happy family before things started going downhill. They didn't have enough money with him losing his job so we moved to a crappy apartment on the other side of the city. It started getting worse two years ago. They would start coming home drunk. At first they didn't do anuthing, but then they started beating me."

Sasuke squeezed me as my voice broke. I took the chance to look at their expressions. The girls, and Lee, had tears in their eyes looking at me sadly. Dad, Uncle Gai, Uncle Asuma, Neji, and Shikamaru looked furious. Everyone else was just gazing at me sadly.

"It's okay to finish," Sasuke whispered in my ear.

"There's nothing else really," I said. "Before I showed up here I remember them yelling at me. Calling me worthless and wanting me to die. I remember the pain of the knife as he stabbed me, leaving me there on the floor. Then I woke up from someone in my ead. They gave me my memories back."

"They beat you," Chouji asked. My dad stood up and abruptly left the shop. I stared after him sadly, wondering what I did wrong.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Uncle Asuma said reading my mind. "He's just furious at himfself and them. He's upset becuase he couldn't be there to protect you. None of us could."

"He doesn't have to be angry anymore." I said standing up. "My past doesn't define whi I am now. They got their wish and I got mine, that's all that matters to me." Turning around I walked out of the shop. Behind me I heard cries of protest as they rushed around following me. Surprisingly, Shikamaru was the first one to catch up. Smiling softly I bumped my shoulder against his arm. Glancing down at me, he smiled gently. Following his gaze I stared up at eh clouds.

SASUKE POV

I scrambled to my feet as my cousin walked out of the shop. She really is the same little girl I grew up with. I watched as Shikamaru jumped to his feet and followed after her. Asuma and Kurenai exchanged a look as they paid for the bill. Following them out, we walked behind Kiara and Shikamaru. I made sure to keep my face expressionless as I watched my cousin. I watched as her shoulders tensed at everyone's gaze before noticing Shikamaru walk beside her. Smiling softly she bumped into him with her shoulder. I let a small smile grace my face as he looked down at her with an unreadable expression.

"It's okay to smile." Blinking I noticed Asuma watching me. "You don't have to be so reserved anymore. She's back home. Kiara wouldn't want you to spend your life trying to get revenge on him. If I know my niece, she'd want you to smile more. Open up to those around you. All of us here, we care about you. We're a family, dysfunction and all."

With that he sped up to join the others. Trailing aftr them, I thought about his words. Kiara was a stubborn girl. Her life mission was to make Hinata her friend and she finally got the girl to open up to her. She'd do the same with me. Shaking my head slowly I let my walls fade down to nothing. It'll be tiring but I'll do it for her. I just got my cousing back and I'm not going to lose her again due to some vendetta I have with him.

KIARA POV

I followed Shikamaru as we walked to the training grounds. Looking around I found my dad using taijutsu on a tree. Sighing I walked down the hill to confront him.

"You don't have to be angry anymore," I said gaining his attention.

"Yes I do," he said turning to me. "I wasn't there to protect you. I never got the chance to be your father."

"You'll always be my daddy," I whispered. Dad knelt down and pulled me in a hug. "Not everyone gets a second chance. Anyway! Let's do something fun."