Naruto 1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of its character as much as I would love to have a few of them hidden in my closet. They all belong to Mr. Kishimoto. Any of the characters you may not recognize of the canon story belong to me.

* * *

_**A Second Chance**_

**By Shihori**

* * *

**Konoha – During the Third Shinobi ****War.**

* * *

**Akiha**

Ikigari Akiha stared forlorn at the target she had drawn on the ancient oak tree. The kunai meant for the center of it were spread several meters away from the tree itself. Choking with the knot that formed in her throat, she reached into the pouch for the last kunai in the holder. She blinked the tears away but the unruly bangs sticking to her face welcomed the wetness all the same.

At age of six and a half she had already excelled in first grade of the Shinobi Academy, and her bright record would have continued on if it had not been for her messed up chakra. She was adept at hand to hand combat, so said Fumino-sensei, and most of what they had taught the first year had been manageable with hard work and determination.

However, the moment lessons had advanced onto chakra control her aim had gone absolutely crazy. Barely controlling her chakra for tree climbing had allowed her move on to the second grade but she knew what was coming next. The teacher had advised her to practice during the break between grades, and she had, every day for hours on that clearing in the forest.

"If only she had-" Gritting her teeth, she stopped muttering something that could not be helped.

Konoha was at war and her mother had been drafted in to the ranks since her father was missing in action and there was one more adult in the home that could look after her, Rihito, her brother who was a chuunin already and fifteen years old. However, he offered no help at all. After all, he did not have the chakra problems she had since his mother was different to hers.

"Our chakra is not easy to channel Akiha," Her mother had said when teaching her how to concentrate it on the soles of her feet. "Patience is not a luxury darling. It's a gift when it comes to channeling it. But don't give up." With a smile she had patted Akiha's hair. "Ever."

Drawing a deep breath, she pictured the energy flowing through her arms to the tips of her fingers. When the kunai glowed with the infusion of her chakra, she took the proper stance and threw the sharp blade with the flick of the wrist that had never failed her until the chakra issues. But the moment the handle left her palm she knew it would fly the wrong way again.

She yelled out her frustration as the tip of the blade barely grazed the side of the wide trunk and flew out of her sight. This time the tears did flow unbidden and she opted for sitting down on the ground to cry it out.

"Mama!" She sobbed at the sky, "I need you..."

Six and a half was not old enough to be good at anything without her mom, she decided. Despite her promise to be strong and be good, and to do her best, she was anything but.

How long she had been watched, she had no idea, but it wasn't until her soggy bangs were pulled back that she opened her eyes and realized she was no longer alone.

Before she could say a word, the little boy with bored eyes and wild silver hair said, "Your aim sucks. Try cutting your hair. It might help."

"Wha-" She stared as the shortie strolled away, not bothering to wait for her to get a full word out.

Reaching over to the crown of her head she found a duckbill barrette holding most of her bangs off her face.

"Hey!" She called out before he was out of sight, "Wait!"

Pulling it out of her hair, she stood to follow him, but since he would not stop, she yelled, "Shrimp! Wait there! Take this back!"

It would end up in the trash bin after all, she added silently. When she rounded the tree, he was gone though.

Looking down at the pin she noticed it was simple with flowers made of tiny white crystals that sparkled in the light. She felt even more miserable staring at something so pretty that she could not keep.

A few months before she had cut her hair and bangs for the first time since she wanted to look more like the prettiest girl in her class, but her father had gotten so mad at her she didn't dare to cut it again. She was also forbidden to have any fancy pins or headbands since according to him she had forfeited her right to use them for cutting her hair. The only accessory she was allowed to wear would be her genin headband _if_ she managed to get that far. Her mother had been unable to say otherwise. After all, what her dad said was law.

Walking back to the clearing, she pocketed the pin. "If I keep it with me all the time he won't know." Biting her lower lip she added silently _-probably. _

Akiha gathered all her kunai and holstered them again. Staring at the tree mark again, she pursed her lips. With a nod, she pulled the barrette out and gathered the annoying bangs off her face. They really weren't the problem, but she promised to not give up. So what if she got unnecessary advice. She would make use of the thing for the time being and keep on practicing.

"When I see him again I'll return it." She said and pulled out the kunai, determined to succeed.

* * *

**Hatake Kakashi**

* * *

If he were ever asked if he was a momma's boy, Kakashi would never deny it. And if someone made fun of him for it -well, they would know what a momma's boy is capable of. Two older boys had already found it out for making fun of him for buying girlie stuff. He did not bother to tell them who he had sneaked out of the house for or why he was buying the hair pins. But the moment they tried taking the bag from him just for fun, they knew what he was capable of. The Hatake family had no pushovers, he thought proudly as he trudged on through the forest to cut his walking distance.

Kakashi smiled, knowing his mom would love the present and forgive him for leaving the house without permission. Lately she had been more tired than usual and he wanted to cheer her up. After all he was the man of the house.

In between his different lessons with Eiko-sensei he would check on his mother who preferred to for him to practice in the inner courtyard where she could see him from her futon by the double doors. Most times she would be asleep, but when she wasn't, he enjoyed her encouraging hand signs and pride in her eyes. When the weather turned from warm to the mild chill of autumn he worried the most, but there was nothing his father could say that would change Hatake Chiako's mind when it came to him.

Kakashi smiled when she hugged him for the small gift -originally a set of two, but he had given the other hair ornament to that girl, which he confessed to doing.

"I thought it would help." He said, with a shrug when his mother wrote 'Oh?' on the notepad on her lap.

When he refused to elaborate she wrote on the notepad, 'Is my baby liking girls already?' and added a cheeky grin as complement to the note.

"What?" He stood up, horrified at the idea and shook his head. "No, no, no! It was to help her with that sucky aim of hers! If I wasn't trained that kunai would have cut my face!"

Chiako smiled and wrote another note, waving him closer.

Still pouting he sat down on the spot his mom patted on the futon, wondering why his face was still burning up. She ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead before showing him the note, 'I am lucky to have such a kind child. I am proud of you Kakashi. Don't ever change ok?'

Kakashi smiled at her and settled into the futon at her side as was his custom. There was a time the bedtime stories had been read by her, but he could not remember well those times. However, the habit had not died. He read the books now and as long as she had the energy to stay awake, she would tap on the book to correct his pronunciation on a word here and there. Lately, he didn't have to stop reading at all.

In his father's absence, he was the man of the house. And he did not care that he had no one else to play with other than Eiko-sensei and obaasan. Kakashi was happy with the way things were. For a four year old boy the only thing that would make him happier was for his mother to be healthy again and his dad to be back from the war safe and sound. And maybe have a little brother to teach what Eiko-sensei taught him, like the boy in the books he read at night.

His world would be complete, he knew, if only his family could always be together. But at that tender age, he found out it was easier to loose all he loved than to gain that absolute happiness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of its character as much as I would love to have a few of them hidden in my closet. They all belong to Mr. Kishimoto. Any of the characters you may not recognize of the canon story belong to me.

* * *

_**A Second Chance**_

**By Shihori**

* * *

**His Circumstances**

Kakashi walked Rin home after the ceremony. Yondaime mentioned he had a few things left to do at the office, but Kakashi suspected that just like him, the weight of that day's events would not be lifted for some time.

Even the Yellow Flash needed time to process this loss away from the constant reminders Rin and Kakashi presented. It was Kakashi's command that day, but the three of them were Minato's students. Regardless of their status within the shinobi ranks Kakashi figured Minato felt responsible for them. It was inevitable to think _'if only'_.

Replaying that day over and over again, was all Kakashi could think of. _If only I had done this differently, then maybe-_

A loud crash and scream interrupted his train of thoughts. He looked up and found the source of the noise for it repeated itself. It was the house three doors down from Rin's. The front door burst open and a girl ran out, heaving, holding her left arm to her chest. She gave a glance over her shoulder towards the dark hallway, before leaping from the garden on to the roof. From there she leaped onto the next house and disappeared from sight.

He had not known he was staring, until he felt something flying towards him. Instinctively he dodged the object and sought the source of the unwarranted attack. At the house's doorstep there was a disheveled man glaring at him.

"Keep walking! There's nothing to look at here!" He barked before turning back into the house and slamming the door behind him.

Sticking his hands in the pants' pockets, Kakashi turned away from the house again with a passing thought regarding fucked up families. The incident had allowed him to set Obito's death aside for a brief instant at least while he wondered who the dark haired girl was.

* * *

The months after the destruction of the Kannabi Bridge were filled with missions to stop the enemy's advance into Fire country through other less vulnerable points. Kakashi felt grateful that he kept being sent out to the field. It kept him from thinking beyond the present mission, the current life or death situation.

Rin had been assigned to a different team for the moment. It was part of the process of healing and coping with the death of a close teammate, or so their mental health doctor had explained to them when they were forced to talk about that day. It was a necessary step to be sent out to the field once more and there was nothing he wanted more.

Most times the missions ended successfully, with a low rate of wounded team members and an even lower rate of deaths on their side. It allowed Kakashi to feel confident again in his own skills. That was until the battle of Nobu Village.

Kakashi stared out the window of the shared hospital room. Scenes of that night flashed before him. The squadron he belonged to was ambushed by a platoon of Kusagakure-nin and not only his teammates died but innocent villagers as well. By the end of the night, only a couple of his teammates made it out on their own feet, while he was carried between them. The way his right leg had been broken had not allowed him to stand on it, much less walk.

He closed his eyes and turned away from the window. The images stopped but he could still hear the cries of the villagers they left behind to the enemy's mercy. The memory felt like a noose around his neck. _What is the point to this goddamn war?_ What was it that he was fighting for anymore when he could not even protect those weaker than him?

A hand lay over his left. He blinked, clearing his mind of the fog called despair for the moment. His eyes moved from his lap where his hands were gripping the bed sheets onto the face of the warm hand's owner.

"You've opened the wound on your arm again." said the girl sitting on the bed next to him.

"Ah." Kakashi looked over at his left arm. The bandages had a red bloom that kept expanding.

He had not noticed he kept the tight grip on the bed sheets until she began prying his fingers to unfurl them. Immediately he relaxed his hand.

"I'm sorry." She said, turning to the tray with supplies sitting on the night stand next to the bed. That had not been there earlier, just like her. "I did not want you to make it worse. Hopefully you won't need the stitches redone."

"Let's get it cleaned up and check it out, alright?" With a scissor she cut the knot on the bandage and with a gentle, but firm grip on his hand, she moved it away from his lap and set it closer to her.

He made a noncommittal noise and watched her work on his arm.

"I overhead the head nurse speaking of you and a few others in this room."

Kakashi noticed her voice was low, carefully modulated. A quick peek to the bed aside his told him why. It was late at night and the other people occupying the remaining five beds were deep asleep.

"Asano-san and Matsuri-san will be released soon and will be good to return to the field in a few weeks. It it wasn't for you, they would not be here."

She carefully lifted the soaked gauze plastered to his skin before discarding it on a pan where the bloody bandages waited. "But apparently you are a terrible patient. Not eating and moving around without the crutches will only set you back."

"If you were older, I'd keep quiet but I really don't need to be admonished by someone younger than I." Kakashi said in a surly tone. What kind of appetite could anyone have after all he had seen since being cleared for field duty right off graduation. All he could see was blood and guts before him most of the time.

"That's harsh." She scoffed as she dabbed the wound with a clean gauze with disinfectant, "But I am not surprised. You've always been absorbed in your own world."

Throwing that piece into the pan too, she reached for the neck of the lamp and tilted it a little lower and took a closer look. "Good. Looks like I won't have to call sensei. He really needs some sleep."

"What do you mean by that?" Kakashi frowned at her, wondering if he knew her from somewhere. Her face was somewhat familiar.

"The poor man is overworked. Most of the medic-nin have gone to the field and just today another bunch was called in. Something seems to have gone really bad at the northeastern border but the Hokage office is not releasing any information to the masses yet."

Kakashi took in that information, but he was not going to be seeing the field anytime soon, so he clarified his question. "I meant, what did you mean by not being surprised."

"You don't remember me do you?" She smirked, "I sat next to you during second grade at the academy for a while, much to every other girl objecting to it. The teachers seemed to find that it was easier to teach without the girls fighting to sit next to you."

Kakashi somewhat remembered that. It was awfully annoying to have the girls swarming his desk when all he wanted was to be left alone. He racked his brains for a name that matched her face, but it seemed she was right after all. That was the first year without his mother and his father was home occasionally due to the war. Even Eiko-sensei had been called back to the field. He had been left only with obaasan and with no option but to go into the Shinobi Academy. Resources could no longer be squandered on the private tutoring of a geniuses' kid.

At the academy he had concentrated in his studies, not wanting to waste time in friendships. In the end, he had graduated from the academy in a year at the age of five.

Just as he was about to apologize for not remembering her, she spoke again as she dressed the wound once more.

"In any case, that is not my point Hatake-kun." She said, "I have not been to the field, mainly because I am not a strong asset to this village so I cannot speak from experience. But you are a strong asset."

She tied a knot on the bandage and declared it done. Kakashi looked up to her face again.

"I am not saying you must get better so you can go back to the field." She said, "You will be sent back the minute you are able."

"It means that you must do all you can to heal properly, so you will have a higher chance of coming back next time you are sent out. It will give your team a chance to survive too."

Kakashi watched her lips slip into a small smile. She said, "Now...I give that reminder to everyone, so don't think yourself special, Tensai-kun."

As she got to her feet, Kakashi tilted his head back. It seemed to him that her forest green eyes were laughing at him. "Aren't you supposed to have a name tag?" He asked.

With a low chuckle, she said as she picked up the tray. "I hate labels."

With a tilt of her chin towards the night table, she turned sideways, ready to walk away. "Your painkillers are there with a glass of water. I was bringing you those when I noticed your wound bleeding again. I'll let you go back to your thoughts, but please find time to rest too."

With that, the volunteer walked away and out the door. He noticed she shut the door very carefully behind her to make the least amount of noise. Kakashi stared at the door, trying to remember her name once more, but he would have no luck with it.

Mindful of the fresh bandaged wound, he reached for the painkillers and water. He figured it was best to rest as she had reminded him to do.

The cocktail did not take long to make effect on him. Soon he settled comfortably on his pillow and closed his eyes. This time he did not see Obito's crushed face or the child engulfed in flames for a change. For once, all that his mind could come up with at that moment was a question. _Second grade...What was her name?_

* * *

On the first anniversary of Obito's death, Kakashi made sure he made it to the memorial stone before heading to the gate for the next mission. It was the first mission he would have with Rin since Obito's death, and they would meet the new member of their team.

Having relayed the news to his friend, he walked away from the stone, taking the path through the cemetery. Coming up the stairs, he saw Second again for the first time in months. He had named her thus since he could not remember her name after all and he found it too embarrassing to ask others for her name.

"Yo, Second." He said, lifting his hand in greeting.

"Hatake." She stopped and frowned at him. "For a so-called genius your nicknaming abilities are terrible, but hello anyways."

"Your greeting abilities are at par to mine it seems." He said, sticking his hand back in the pants' pocket. "Telling patients to behave got too boring for you? Never saw you around again."

She frowned for a moment and then nodded slightly. "Ah yes...I was assigned to another ward on the next shift and then, oddly enough, I was sent to Shibaten. They needed extra hands in the mobile hospital." Her eyes did a quick once over and then she smiled, "You seem to be alright."

"And you." He nodded towards the two bouquets of wild flowers in her arms. "Visiting?"

"Yes." She patted the flower bunch wrapped in white tissue. "My mother mainly, but for Obito-kun too. It's their anniversary after all."

"You knew Obito?" He asked in a surprised tone.

"I was on second grade with you guys." She sighed, waving away her slight annoyance towards him. "Nevermind. I get that a lot."

"Why can't I remember you?" Kakashi said, somewhat exasperated. It was ridiculous that he would not remember anything about the person before him.

"No worries." She gave a small shrug, "I stayed behind after second grade and you did fly through the academy after all. I was hardly excellent shinobi material so I did not graduate with your group. You guys were all a geniuses in your own ways I guess."

With a smile towards him, she stepped closer. "In any case, I'm glad you're doing good. It's sad when people die but even more so when it's people our age. There's too many in this cemetery that have reached the end of their road too soon. So it's refreshing to see a familiar face walking about every now and then."

Kakashi stepped aside to let her go through, looking down at her. "Wait." He said, catching himself in mid motion to grab her arm.

"Hmm?" She smiled, "Oh yeah...did you visit Obito-kun already?"

"Yeah." He nodded, "On my way out again." He added, not sure why it was important to relay that.

"Well then, come back safely." She said with a kind smile, "Bye now, Tensai-kun."

Kakashi watched her walk away with a frown set under the forehead protector. With a sigh, he scratched his head and muttered, "I guess I won't get her name this time either."

Looking up to the sky, he cursed under his breath and sprinted out of the cemetery. He was going to be late for the first time to a mission rendezvous! As he neared the gate, he spotted Rin, and smirked at the thought of Obito laughing at him for being tardy for once, just like him.

* * *

Fireworks bloomed in the sky above Konoha. It was the first time in years that the Summer Festival was celebrated, and as Guy pointed out, it was much more tame this year compared to the last one. They had gone to the temple with Minato that time as a newly formed team that time and said their prayers. That time he had given in and danced with Rin. Just remembering how bright and cheerful she had been that night made his heart hurt. Kakashi had been aware of Rin's feelings for him, but he had decided long ago not to encourage her. He simply couldn't see her that way.

Weeks later she had been kidnapped and in an attempt to save her, things had gone terribly wrong.

This year's festival was the Yondaime's idea in order to lift Konoha's spirits. The war had waned everyone's souls to husks. Food was scarce and the number of dead only grew by the day. But they had won the battles lately. They had regained some of those farmlands that had been taken away and even though there was no one willing yet to relocate to work the land, the news of Konoha's improvement in the field was lifting up the morale.

Having most of the village distracted with the festivities was a security risk. So Kakashi had volunteered to take the midnight shift, right after the fireworks.

Once he closed in on the perimeter assigned to him, he concentrated on the task at hand. He had to find Tohma and take over the watch. It did not take him long to find him but the groaning sounds, made him sprint faster towards the shinobi's location, kunai in hand.

Rounding the ancient oak tree, he found Tohma in a position he did not expect.

"Tohma!" He yelled, effectively bringing the grunting and grinding to an end.

The older shinobi looked over his shoulder, red faced and sweaty. "Ah, Kakashi. You're early."

"The fuck I am." Kakashi returned the kunai to its holder, glaring at the man's face. "Pull your pants up and get the hell out of here! Both of you!"

The man blew an exasperated sigh and turned to the woman pressed against the tree with her legs wrapped around his hips. "You heard the kid. Let's go to my place." He chuckled as he thrust into her once more before withdrawing. "We won't be disturbed there."

Kakashi sighed and looked away, wanting to punch the idiot's face in for being lax in his duties and subjecting him to the ugly sight of his ass. Had he been the enemy, he would have easily killed him and infiltrated Konoha's safety line. But then, Yondaime had warned him that he might find people throughout the night in this manner. He was certain he had not meant the shinobi on shift though.

"I'll pass." said the woman.

Kakashi turned his face back to them in time to see her pull down her mid thigh skirt. She was not looking at him, but he knew she felt his eyes on her. A blush spread on her pale chest and she looked away as her fingers worked the fastening on the jacket.

"Come on, sweetheart." Tohma reached around and brought her close with a hand on her ass. "There's much to show you."

"Not interested." She said, swatting his hand off her with a smirk. "You didn't even get close to scratching my itch, so I think I'll find someone more reliable."

Tohma's face burst red as he grabbed her arm. "You were enjoying yourself you little slut! Now that pretty boy is here, you plan to ditch me?"

She remained impassive in front of the angry lover. "I simply did not enjoy your clumsy groping and unimpressive cock, so let go."

"You bitch!" He roared and pulled his other arm back.

Kakashi moved before he truly decided to intervene. Grabbing the older man by the jacket's collar he pulled him away. Spinning him around, he delivered the fist to the face he was itching to give and Tohma had planned to land on Second's face.

The murderous glare directed Tohma's way, kept him parked on the ground where he had landed. "Get the fuck out of here Tohma or I'll break your arms so you can never raise your hands again against a woman of this village."

"Fuck you Hatake!" Tohma spit blood and a tooth onto the ground. "What? Did you decide it was easier to keep that dirty piece to yourself? Maybe she'll teach your virgin cock a thing or two!" Sneering, he got to his feet. "But a bit of advice kid, you should ask for a list before you put your dick in it. I can assure you that was tapped into long ago."

Kakashi grew tired of the incessant shit being spewed at him. Fishing out a kunai he charged once more. Tohma, even if older than him, was no more than a chuunin and no match to a jounin of his level. A fist to the gut and a swipe at his throat with the kunai left the man on his knees gasping for air. The shallow cut over the Adam's apple bled slightly. It would not kill him, but it would leave a reminder of tonight.

"Don't make me repeat myself." Kakashi warned in a low, murderous tone. "Scram."

The man sent a murderous glare her way but retreated all the same with no more protesting. Kakashi sighed once the shinobi left. It helped some of the tension out.

"That was unnecessary."

He looked at her over his right shoulder, "Now those are not the words I was expecting."

"Was it, _you shouldn't have interfered_?" She replied, annoyance clear in her face, but she did not look at him. Instead concentrated on shaking her hair and swiping at her lower back.

"You wanted him to hit you?" He asked incredulously, turning towards her.

"I did not want to be helped by you, but thank you." She said with a sigh. "What a shitty night."

"Sorry to interrupt your fuck but seriously, what were you doing here with him?" He could not keep the annoyance off his tone either. "The idiot was on duty! If you were so desperate why not get yourself someone who was free at least? Plenty of those downtown."

She finally turned her face to him. Her green eyes almost black in the shadow of the tree. "Thank you. I had forgotten how much I lack common sense."

It had been a while but he could tell she had changed much from the girl he had met before. He did not know her well -_hell, he did not even know her name_, but there was a more turbulent feel to her this time around.

"Look," Kakashi walked to her as she stepped out of the shadow of the massive tree. "I have no right to snap at you like that. That was just a bit disturbing to find."

She scoffed as she passed by him. "I imagine it would be."

"You're leaving already Second?" He asked, stopping her on her tracks. He purposely used the nickname she disliked to dissipate the bad taste the whole scene had left.

She threw a nasty glare at his hand on her arm before moving it up to his face. "Seriously? Not only did you tell us both to get the hell out of here but you still call me that stupid nickname."

"That was before things escalated." He shrugged in a nonchalant way. "Besides, did you expect me to ask around if anyone knew your name? I could just ask you next time I saw you."

"It's been years since we last crossed paths, Hatake." She said, "You could have tried asking someone at least."

"So what's your name?" He asked, smirking under the mask as he watched her roll her eyes in exasperation.

"Ikigari Akiha." She answered, pulling her arm away. "Happy night shift Hatake."

"I think you should come with me." He suddenly blurted out.

"What?" Akiha laughed, "I'm not into virgins, kid, so don't get the wrong idea."

"Don't think too highly of yourself." He scoffed, "Tohma might be waiting for you. I just want to make sure you'll make it back alright."

"What is it to you?" She looked away and added softly, "What does it matter anyways? I'm not worth the time."

_What the hell was her problem? _Kakashi wondered as he sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "Look, I have to patrol this area for the next two hours. I owe you one, so I would like to make sure you will be safe."

"That's odd." She smiled, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't remember doing anything for you."

"Well how about you rack your brains for the next three years and I'll tell you then what you did for me." Kakashi nodded his head towards the East. "In the meantime, how about you patrol with me? Unless your itch still needs scratching and you really must find another old fart."

Akiha choked at that but managed a small laugh. "I was terribly crude just now." With a sigh, she gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry Hatake. You did not need to witness that. And I shouldn't have snapped at you either."

"Yeah..." He drawled, "I hope you have a way to scrub the image of Tohma's hairy ass off my eyes."

Akiha laughed while pulling her long, dark hair in a ponytail. "You should have turned away the moment your saw us. Don't blame it on me."

"Oh, I'm definitely blaming you." He smirked, "Come on. It's only two hours unless you have anything better to do."

"Sleep?" She countered but dropped down to stretch with a pair of lunges. "But then, night time is not for sleeping in my case."

He looked away since the short skirt rode up her thighs with those movements. That earned him a low chuckle from her.

"You can look now Tensai-kun." She said in a sing song tone and smiled when he did. "You seriously don't have to worry about me. I can go if I make you uncomfortable."

"I don't know you Second," He said, "But I can tell you are not used to receiving respect."

Akiha's lips thinned and she looked away, and he could almost hear her thinking she should leave right now.

"Let's go." Kakashi ran up a nearby oak and waited for her at a thick branch. He figured he'd give her one more minute before heading on, but she was at his side seconds after. He smiled under his mask and jumped off the branch onto the next tree.

"Hey!"

He chuckled as she yelled at him to wait up. While she caught up, he surveyed the area. After all, he was on the job even if he had opted to invite the infamous Akiha along. She had a reputation, just like many others in the field, but Kakashi understood. They lived in an era of war. Their next breath could be their last.

With that concept in mind, many of his male comrades sought out female company desperately during their down time or even in the field after they were relieved from their posts. It was up to the female half to take on those men starving for human warmth. However, not all men had a personal code of honor and it seemed Akiha had been involved with one too many of those, for he had heard her name many times among different shinobi from different stations.

Kakashi had no idea then that the person they were speaking off was that girl who had kicked him out of self pity without even knowing it. Those few words exchanged that evening in the hospital room made him think carefully of who he was and what he represented in the greater scheme of things. From that day on, he had a feeling he owed to her some of the regained fortitude that allowed him to go into battle and helped him keep fighting on even when things looked bleak.

Landing on the edge of a clearing Kakashi waited, scanning the tree line. He did not hear her come close, but felt her just as she landed a few feet away.

"It would be nice to know where I'm headed." She demanded, standing shoulder to shoulder with him. "And for you to stop calling me Second."

At five nine Kakashi was considered tall and not many women stood at the same height as he. He understood now what those other shinobi were saying about Akiha's legs going for miles, since most women averaged three to five inches less height wise compared to her.

"Alright." He smirked, setting aside his musing about her legs. He truly was not interested in her in that way. "Ikigari Akiha-chan."

"Akiha will do. I am older than you though." She said, somewhat winded.. "It's been a while since I did any real running about. Are you sure you want me to tag along?"

Kakashi nodded, "Yeah. Like you said, it might have been best to not interfere, but I did, so I'll take responsibility and see you home safely. Catch up to me when you can. I won't be too far if anything comes up."

"You're an odd one Hatake." She said, looking at him as if expecting a second head to grow on his shoulder. "I always thought you to be aloof and self absorbed, but here you are making sure I don't get my face punched in by an angry one night stand. I'm not sure what to make of it. But just to be clear, you're not expecting me to fuck you by the end of your shift, right?"

Kakashi had to reach out to the tree trunk to his right to hold himself steady while the other hand plastered to his face. "Your bluntness is certainly not one of your best traits is it?"

She cocked her head to the left and gave a small shrug. "I learned the hard way that nothing nice comes your way without having to pay for it. If that is what you were hoping for, I'll tell you, it's not the first time a guy has had that impression of me."

"And what impression is that?" He asked, looking at her again. He knew what she meant but for some reason he wanted to hear it from her perspective.

"Hmm...what was that phrase again?" Akiha said, pretending to think about it for a moment before she replied to the question. Her tone was low, somewhat resentful when she said, "That I _am_ easy to spread, easy to fill up, and easy to wash off."

Kakashi stared at her stunned as her words repeated in his mind. He felt ashamed for a split second to be part of the male side of the specie.

Standing a little bit taller, he made sure he locked eyes with her when he said, "Whomever you heard that from, deserves his balls cut off and shoved down his throat. Don't think that all men are assholes like those who speak of you in that way. Put those words out of your mind and move on."

Akiha seemed taken aback by the severe tone of his words, but the change in her countenance told him his words had been the right ones. Her eyes seemed to shine brighter but her dazzling grin was what took him by surprise. "Thank you Hatake."

"Kakashi." He said but his voice cracked, making him clear his throat.

Akiha laughed and looked out to the clearing. "Where to now capt'n?"

"North." He answered before sprinting into the clearing. Checking over his shoulders, he noticed her following at a distance.

Kakashi was grateful that she was not able to keep up with him or that she had not noticed his reaction to her throaty laugh. Even though he had said that about the other men in the village that seemed to form part of her encounters, he had very little control of his body's reaction to her.

Despite what she might think of him, he was no virgin. Kids grew up faster in time of war. He thought himself mature compared to his comrades but the first two years of blood and gore on the battlefield had made him shed what little boyhood he had clinging to him. Adopting some of Obito's ways had been the only way to not show how jaded he had become. So at a moment when he thought his act would fall apart, he met the Yondaime's sensei.

One night of being dragged around by Jiraiya-sama and he found out why the other shinobi seemed to flock to the nearest red light district during downtime. Sex was not exactly the answer to the inner turbulence caused by the war, but human contact in that manner allowed him to let go of his restraints.

However, there was a reason why some were under the wrong impression of him. He was not interested in people knowing what he did or who he did it with, and Jiraiya-sama's guidance had been invaluable in that sense.

He reached the river that flowed westwards and knelt to cup some water in one hand. Pulling down his mask, he took a good drink and somewhat helped with the dryness in his mouth. Akiha is not his type, he told himself, staring at the other edge of the river.

Well, her body is definitely his type, he thought as he licked some water off his lower lip. Unbidden, his mind brought up the glimpse of her pale skin before she did the jacket up. Physically she most definitely stirred him, he acknowledged as much, but Akiha was someone he knew. Granted, not as well as other people, but he made it a rule not to get involved with anyone in his closer circles. Sex with women unrelated to his village life kept things neat and untroubled.

At the slight sound of her steps he pulled the mask over his face again. As she walked closer he could hear her heavy breathing. He closed his eyes for a moment and made an effort to set aside his thoughts of her as a woman. _Seriously idiot,_ he kicked himself mentally, _it's been only an hour since she was wrapped around another man. _

He heard the sound of water splashing.

"Ah!" She sighed, "Needed that. I'm truly out of shape. Being an ambulatory field nurse you'd think I'd get more exercise, but I'm pretty much confined to rolling gauze and looking after patients."

"You sound like you enjoy your job." He looked at her but she kept staring off the distance.

"In a way. I didn't expect to be doing this after all." She pulled a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "The man who raised me was a shinobi, but during a mission years ago he was poisoned and even though he did not die, his life as a shinobi was over."

"For the first year he needed home care, but with the war going on, my mother had no choice but to go back to active duty full time. My brother by then had become a jounin so it meant another income. Being the youngest, it was easier to pull me out of the academy to look after him."

"So you did not finish the academy?" Kakashi asked. He had actually assumed she was not good shinobi material and had to drop out. "Is that why?"

"I didn't." She smiled. "Bet you thought I was a terrible student."

He scratched his nose, embarrassed. "Ah...yeah, I did."

"You're not wrong." She laughed, "I was terrible, but mainly because I have trouble managing my chakra, and academy has been mainly an assembly line of cannon fodder. Unless you have great aptitude towards shinobi life, the teachers do not have time to bring out of you what is needed. In fact my chakra was deemed too complicated. Taking time to develop it was not worth it apparently."

"You're kidding right?" He said, disbelief clear in his tone. After all, he knew many shinobi who had managed by hard work alone.

Laughing, she shook her head, "Not one bit. Other factors may have been taken into account, but the few people who had any real knowledge on my chakra were either dead or at the field. One kid with troublesome genetics was not enough reason to pull an asset out from the front line.

Shrugging, she added, "In any case, that's how I ended up volunteering at the hospitals. I needed to learn how to look after him better."

Standing up, she looked down at him with a smile. "I'm good now. Where are we headed now Kakashi?"

Kakashi could hear it in her tone that she had said more than what she had planned to so he did not try to ask more about her even if he wanted to hear more.

Kakashi led the way, but this time he slowed down so there was not that much distance between them. When the two hours were up, they were already at the village gate. Yondaime himself was pulling an all nighter since the festival had been his doing. Kakashi reported to him and when asked about Tohma's swollen jaw he did not lie.

"You've got to be kidding me." Minato sighed, shaking his head. "I'll deal with that idiot after tomorrow." With a quick look behind Kakashi, he said, "So you took her along for patrol?"

Kakashi shrugged, "Wanted to make sure Tohma was not waiting for her."

Minato agreed with him and promised to have a talk with Tohma once more before sending him off.

With his night's duty over, Kakashi and Akiha walked down the quiet streets in silence. The celebration had ended an hour earlier and even though there were still some people about, they seemed too drunk or besotted with their companions to pay attention to anyone else but themselves.

They spoke very little on the way back to the village and her home. After their chat by the river he had sensed her shut down. When they turned to the familiar neighborhood, he spotted Rin's house and noticed her light still on.

_Her mother_, he thought taking his eyes away. That pain will never go away.

Three doors down, Akiha stopped at a short wood gate that had seen better days. Kakashi looked at the house behind her and frowned. He knew the house. Many years ago, he had seen a girl escape from it. Curiosity had prompted him to ask Rin once about it since she lived nearby.

_"I've seen her too," _Rin had said,_ "But I can't remember her name. She was with me on first grade I think, but we never talked. Mom says Mrs. Tanaka has heard terrible things coming from that house, but then Mrs. Tanaka is a terrible gossip."_

_"All I really know is that Chisawa Akihira lived there, so it must have been her daughter. She was a senior medic and for a short time my instructor. During the Kannabi mission she was part of Minato-sensei's group. I heard she died then."_

"Thank you Kakashi."

Kakashi broke away from the memory and looked at the girl who had ran away from this home that day. If his memory served right, the man who had yelled at him that night looked old enough to be her father.

"You live here with your father?" He asked abruptly, knowing it was not his business.

"He's not my father." She said, looking back at the house. "He made sure I understood that tonight."

Before he could ask what she meant Akiha pushed the gate open and stepped in to the yard with its parceled out garden. "Good night Kakashi. Thank you for tonight."

With a small smile she waved at him and headed to the door. Before he could figure out a way to keep her from leaving just yet, she walked inside. He considered knocking at the door and getting her to come out for a little longer. Kakashi felt it was wrong to turn away right then without bringing her out again.

Unable to shake the bad feeling in his gut or do anything about it, he turned away from the gate and decided to stop by in the morning on his way to the cemetery.

The next morning, however, all that was left of the house was a burnt down shell and smoke rising from it. The neighbor lady told the story to those who had stopped to look of how she had woken to the bright fire in the middle of the night and immediately sounded the alarm.

Kakashi asked about the family that lived there and she said that the cranky old bastard had died in the fire and his kid was away on a mission. When he asked about the girl, she scoffed and said, "Probably caused the fire, that girl! Bad seed I tell you! That man, despite his shortcomings, was good to bring up the child of his wife's affair. And yet, that girl pays his kindness back by becoming a slut just like her mother." She sniffed, "Apples don't fall far from the trees after all."

Kakashi wondered about the truth of the neighbor's certainty that Akiha had caused the fire. He doubted it at first, but when he returned from the mission he was suddenly assigned that day, he still was unable to find her. It would be almost a year before he saw her again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of its character as much as I would love to have a few of them hidden in my closet. They all belong to Mr. Kishimoto. Any of the characters you may not recognize of the canon story belong to me.

* * *

_**A Second Chance**_

**By Shihori**

* * *

**Her Circumstances**

The town was abuzz with the Summer Festival but celebrating was not in her plans. She watched the piece of paper slowly burn in the mason jar. When there was nothing but black ashes at the bottom she flushed them down the sink.

"Akiha!" A man's voice yelled from the room next to the kitchen, "That better not be my supper burning!"

Rolling her eyes she grabbed the tray and brought it to the sitting room. "I have a shift at the hospital tonight. Someone called in sick." She said as she sat it down in front of the weathered man and his collection of sake bottles.

The man she knew as father could be drunk beyond help but his hands always seemed faster than what they should be. Akiha choked on a gasp as he pulled her by the wrist, squeezing as hard as he could.

"Don't think I don't know what you are up to bitch." He spat at her, "Just don't you dare bring a bastard into this house because I'll carve it out of you. I will not have you jeopardizing my care for some spawn of your whoring."

There was nothing she would love more than slitting that man's throat but it would ruin her life. Murder was heavily punished in the village and it is no secret that she is the first in line to get rid of what is left of her family.

"And there is nothing I fear more than you killing me dad." She said pulling her arm from his grip. "Save your energies and walk yourself to bed. I won't be here to help you up."

Before he could grab her again, she hurried upstairs, leaving him behind cursing at her and her mother and the crash of sake bottles. She sighed as she made it to her room, "More to clean tomorrow."

A few minutes later she was heading out with a bag across her chest through the window. From across her slice of yard she could hear the disapproving, nasal voice of the Tanaka witch telling her husband to come to the window to see her -the slut, sneak out the window again.

Fed up, Akiha yelled from the roof, "How about you stop snooping you old crone and clean up your yard! Your critter keeps trying to get in my patch!"

"Here now you-"

The old woman yelled back, stepping to her groomed stone garden, but Akiha did not wait to hear her rant. The Tanaka grandson had been pestering her lately and the old woman really had to get off _her _case and get onto her grandson's.

She did have a shift at the hospital but afterward, she had something there was no getting out of. At least not for the time being.

Akiha watched from the kitchen window as Kakashi finally walked away from the gate. It was sweet, she thought with a smile, the way he had been determined to watch after her.

"That was an odd sight." Her company suddenly said.

"Odd indeed." Akiha said softly as she turned to the counter where her friend stood. "But very sweet of him."

Ibiki scoffed, "He is something else out there, but he's still a kid."

"I'm sure he is, but it was nice to be looked after for once." Akiha poured herself a glass of water. Swirling some water in her mouth before spitting it out in the sink she added, "You aren't jealous are you Ibiki-kun?"

"Are you alright?" He asked as his answer.

Akiha smiled. Ibiki Morino had always been one of few words and after they had been 'initiated' together, he took on a confusing role of brother, mate and confessor. He was who she could talk to if she felt her role as an evening bloom was becoming too much. She had long reached that stage after two years of working as a sex spy among their own ranks, but a part of her felt it was not yet her time to ask for an early retirement from her duties.

The fact that he was younger than her had very little to do with who was the senior operative. If he in any way got a whiff of her true feelings towards her duties, he would recommend she was taken out of the program. Having barely made it to genin, her current side job was the only true income, with benefits.

"I don't think I was meant to get a workout session from this. I am sore. Other than that," She stepped closer and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I am as fine as I can be. Let's get this done and over with."

"So?" Ibiki crossed his arms, "Should we bring him in?"

Akiha nodded, "He definitely betrayed us. I'm sure a visit to our friends in the torture and interrogation force will get it out of him. He's does not have a strong mind or spirit."

"Then let's get going." Ibiki nodded towards the door. "You better head on to Chiako-sama's. Yamanaka Kakeru is waiting there. Inoichi-san asked to be relieved today."

Akiha sent a worried look at the room next door. Ibiki patted her shoulder. "Don't worry." He said, "He's been taken care off."

Dealing with her father had been part of her demands for when she was on duty. At times she almost welcomed the on the side jobs for that reason alone. It was the one perk of being a sanctioned whore. There was no other way to describe it, at least in her mind. All the same she still worried that one day it would all go wrong one way or another.

Ibiki and her parted ways outside her house. He would gather other jounin to arrest Tohma for treason. He would most likely be gone from the face of the earth by the end of the week. She made her way to the ANBU quarters and to one special office, Ritsu Chiako's, the leader of the evening blooms.

Few words were exchanged then. The only reason she was there was to have her memories verified by a human mind probe and recorded for the hokages to pass judgment. The Yamanaka clan were specialists in that area. And for her fortune or misfortune, her chakra type had been the kind that benefited this kind of espionage.

While she was being unplugged from the device that recorded the images she had extracted from Tohma's mind, Chiako placed a hand on her shoulder. "Your technique has been greatly improved in the past months. The quality of the information has been constantly precise for your past ten cases."

"Glad you approve sensei." Akiha attempted to suppress a yawn and failed.

The woman in her late forties smiled. "I do, but the tickles and giggles boys are complaining about not getting enough fun time with the traitors."

Akiha chuckled at their nickname for the torture and interrogation jounin. "Well, poor boys. Whatever will they do now to get their fun."

"But seriously Akiha," Chiako patted her shoulder again, "Job well done. You are the only one working locally, so being able to prevent the information leak is helping us to keep the village safe."

"Just doing my job ma'am." Akiha stood up and stretched. "May I be excused?"

"Not quite yet." Chiako walked over to her desk. "We need you for a new task but only if you accept it."

Akiha looked down at the folder laying on the desk. "I can feel your tension sensei. What does it entail?"

"We need you to infiltrate a cell we believe affiliated to Kirigakure located at the eastern border." Chiako leaned onto the desk. "This is an ANBU level assignation Akiha, but to tell you the truth, your chakra gives you a cutting edge in this mission. We need information right now. Sending you, a genin, is madness. If you are caught..."

"You don't seem too certain about sending me in." Akiha pointed out, crossing her arms as if to ward off the bad vibes she was getting.

"Danzo-sama is pressing for your acceptance of this mission." Chiako tapped the folder once before sliding it closer to her, "But I will not send you without your consent. You will be on your own basically, unable to fight back if you are discovered and with no way to ask for help."

It was like sending a new born deer to the wolves. Genjutsu and ninjutsu were skills she had never been able to develop. The only one she had tried to maintain was taijutsu. She could defend herself in hand to hand combat and once upon a time win it easily, but with the passing of years she had grown lax with that side of her physical abilities. Sending someone like her, practically a civilian to infiltrate an enemy cell, was short of premeditated murder.

"I hate the life I have sensei." Akiha found that confessing her feelings at that moment was the right thing to do. "My brother is a rapist and a missing-nin, my father hates the sight of me, and I have become the town whore for better or worse."

Touching the folder with her fingertips she stared into Chiako's eyes as she pushed it back to her. "All the same, I will not do something that stupid. If I cannot successfully extract myself from that situation, it makes no difference how good I am at siphoning information from the enemy."

Chiako nodded and with a look at Kakeru who had quietly waited to be dismissed, she handed him the folder and said. "Take the recording and this information to the Sandaime and Yondaime. My recommendations are there. They will know how to deal with Danzo-sama and this situation. Thank you."

"Ma'am." Kakeru nodded towards them before leaving the office.

"You knew I would not take that mission." Akiha sighed, "I could have been asleep by now sensei."

Chiako chuckled, "I needed to hear it from you child. I counted on your common sense rather than your determination to be away from the village and the fucked up family you were given."

She opened a drawer and pulled out another dossier. "Here are your orders to head to Matsumaru county. Your supervisor at the hospital has signed the petition for you to be formally trained as a medic-nin. With your years of experience volunteering you have had to learn the duties of a nurse due to the lack of staff but without the chuunin rank you would have never been able to move up from volunteer assistant to the nursing staff and we both know it. Sandaime approved it."

Akiha stared at the envelope and before she knew it tears were spilling down her cheeks. "Sensei..."

"You would have to leave today however." Chiako smiled, "You basically have," She looked at the clock on the wall, "An hour to decide and meet with the group heading out."

"You're not kidding are you?" Akiha laughed, wiping the tears away. "Of course I'll take it. I'll sleep walk there if necessary."

"I figured as much." Chiako stood up and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Do your best Akiha. Never give up. Your mother would have wanted this for you."

Akiha nodded, knowing that Chiako meant her words. She had been the only friend of her mother who actually held a hand out to her. Even though her hand had led her down a path she would not have chosen on her own, she had given her a way to deal with her nightmares and her living ghosts. She was steadier in her feet thanks to her.

Impulsively, she wrapped her arms around the older woman, unable to contain her emotions or the tears. "Thank you! For everything sensei." She had a chance at last and she would not squander it. From that moment on, Ikigari Akiha decided not to look back with regret at the path that had led her there.

* * *

Kunai with bombs attached landed everywhere and rocks rained on them. All the same, Akiha and her teammates concentrated on the lives at hand. She had been sent along with two more medics to the northern side which was supposed to be secured, but the enemy had sent reinforcement and somehow broken through the ranks protecting that area.

Their simple job of doing an ordinary check up on the squadrons there had turned to triage in the middle of a battle.

"They are gone over there." Shiraishi said as he knelt next to her patient. "How are you doing here?"

"He's got a severe concussion and some shrapnel on the legs." Akiha said as she used her chakra to sense how serious the concussion was. "He still has a chance if we get him to surgery."

"Say no more." Shiraishi looked over her shoulder and sighed, "Its just you and I Ikigari-chan. Let's get out of here while we can."

Slipping the stretcher underneath the shinobi was not an easy task with the ground shaking under them, but they managed. As she grabbed the handles at the front, she took a quick look to her right and found their teammate crushed from the midsection up by a boulder.

Akiha had felt it land nearby and the flying debris caused by it; heard the crush of bones, but had not dared to take her eyes away from the person who needed her right there and then.

With the go ahead of her teammate, she kept as low as she could carrying an unconscious adult male over 160 lbs and silently praying that they could make it to safety and that neither of them would receive a kunai to the neck.

"We're being followed." Shiraishi yelled, "Ikigari, prepare yourself."

Bile threatened to ride up but she locked her jaw and prepared herself to die fighting. An enemy shinobi landed before her and immediately swiped his kunai at her throat. Behind her Shiraishi had already let go of the stretcher to fight for his life and the sudden drop had forced her to fall back, saving her life for the time being.

Before her killer could take another swipe at her she brought forth all her fear and punched in his knee cap, forcing him to loose balance. From her kneeling point, she produced a kunai from the thigh holster and dug it into his abdomen under the edge of the chest plate. His scream came out as a gurgle as he fell before her.

She turned to check on Shiraishi and without a wasted moment, she threw her kunai at the nape of the enemy's neck. However, that had only allowed them a few more heartbeats. Four more enemies had made it through.

Shiraishi attempted a tree shield technique, but it was stopped by a earth wave sent by the enemy. They were upon them when help arrived.

"Ryota, Eriko, guard the medics!" yelled the squad's captain.

Akiha took that opportunity to check on their patient. "We need to get him out now." She looked up at their guard just as Shiraishi arrived to help her get him back on the stretcher.

"Captain?" Ryota yelled out as he fended off an enemy.

"Move them out! Leave him!" yelled the captain back as another wave came through.

Akiha gritted her teeth at the orders, but you did not argue with a superior in the middle of battle. She was grabbed by the arm by Eriko while Ryota helped Shiraishi up and then forced them to run away.

It was not the first time it had happened, but she always felt terrible for leaving a person in need behind. Sometimes they were brought in by the surviving shinobi. Sometimes they were forced to burn their bodies on the spot to keep the enemy from gaining valuable intel on their special bloodlines. War was hell, but then, she had always inhabited it. Her skin was thick, -it allowed her to sleep when needed and do her best next time around, so she gave a moment's thought to the man she could have probably had brought back to be saved and thanked him for saving two lives -hers and Shiraishi's.

* * *

Akiha parted the tent flaps with a sigh and rubbed a gob of blood off her face. Surgery had not gone well on the last patient. Higorushi-sensei moved on to the next surgery tent with his team and she was left to clean up and prep. The body had been removed almost right away to be cataloged and burnt, and the rest of her job had taken the last thirty minutes of her life.

She stared at the dark sky and closed her eyes, thanking silently that her shift was over unless the world blew up again -as it had the habit to do.

A flick of her nose startled her and she took a step back, glaring at whoever dared to interrupt her five seconds of peace.

"You missed some there Second.." Kakashi said in his matter of fact tone.

Akiha had not seen him in a while but the urge to strangle him over the stupid nickname seemed to surface every time even if she was glad to see him. "I'm sure I have more on my hair too Tensai-kun and in some nook or cranny it shouldn't have gotten into. What are you doing in this corner of hell?"

He looked down at himself, someone's blood on his ANBU chest plate and hair before directing his deadpan eyes to her again. "Figured I should take some time off and head down the first path to the left I reached."

"And you got lost in the road of life?" Akiha smirked, "Should have taken the right path Tensai-kun."

"Should have." He nodded towards the tent, "Are you needed there?"

"Not until the morning." She rolled her neck to the left then the right. "What about you?"

"Hopefully done for the time being." He said, looking around the hospital camp. "My team is down two people, so I'm tied down for now."

"How many people on your team?" She asked.

"We were three." He stared down at her. "Haven't seen you for a while. Is there anywhere we can eat and rest here without other people around?"

Akiha studied him for a moment. With him, she was not sure what his question entailed. She was dead on her feet anyways, but he seemed equally tired, so what was the worse that could happen? And who best to walk into a forest with a quarter moon in a hostile area than with an ANBU Tensai-kun.

She nodded, "Do you know where to find food?"

"Yes, but if I get lost my hounds will find it for me." He said with a nonchalant shrug.

"Alright." She said, not sure what he meant by hounds.

"Get us something to eat." She pointed at his clothes. "Do you want some clean clothes?"

He shook his head. "Better to keep the bloodied ones on. They just keep getting stained anyways. But a towel and soap would be appreciated. Mine got ripped as makeshift bandages."

"Meet you here in fifteen then." She covered her mouth to hide a yawn as she turned to the left.

Akiha headed towards the female dormitory tent she had her cot at. She found it funny and odd how she ended up with a dinner date from Hatake Kakashi while looking like a ghoul.

Waving lazily at her cohabitants, she sat on her cot and fished out from under it the box with the toiletries and towels. She also grabbed herself a set of chuunin wear. After all, tomorrow her shift did not start until the afternoon and her nurse uniform needed washing.

Heading out with her stuff rolled up in the towels, she wondered if it was a good idea. After all, she could wait til tomorrow morning to clean up when the women off duty would go down to the river. She stopped on her tracks and tried to force her brain to work and think it carefully.

Hatake Kakashi was someone she felt ambivalent about. And there was also that detail he mentioned of losing his teammates. The idea of Hatake Kakashi and a pity fuck did not add up in her mind.

With an annoyed grunt at her train of thoughts she muttered to herself, "Get it out of the gutter Akiha." And with a quick step, headed back to the tent.

She found him sitting on the floor with two lidded wood boxes hanging from a black cord. He must have improvised that since the mess hall ladies did not allow anyone to take the boxes out of the food tent.

"I knew it was a good idea to send you for food." She said, smirking.

He quirked right eyebrow at that comment, but said nothing about it.

Akiha smiled and nodded towards the forest line for him to follow. "I did the women a favor." She said as they got onto the well trodden path. "They got to get sweet talked by none other than Hatake Kakashi."

"Who says I sweet talked them? All I did was ask for two meals." He inquired, sounding slightly offended.

"I've seen those matrons make Uchihas sit down and eat their meals in there and the one that did try to sneak out received a ladle to the head and stitches." She chuckled, "I just knew you would get away with it."

"Huh..." He seemed to ponder that for a moment as they walked down a carved path on a grassy hill. "Does that mean I am more good looking than your average Uchiha?"

"No." She laughed, shaking her head. "It means you have less of an entitlement attitude to you so I was certain you would use other methods than bitching and name throwing as some tend to do here."

"Hmm..." He did not reply to that and followed silently.

When she could not handle the silence anymore she asked as they reached the sandy river bed. "So? Am I right?"

"Did I charm them you mean?" Kakashi scratched his chin over the mask. "It did not cross my mind to do so. I just asked and walk out with the boxes."

Akiha laughed, sitting down at a tree trunk. "You're pulling my leg."

"I swear I am not." Kakashi sat down on the sand in front of her and stretched his arms up.

"Well aren't you lucky Tensai-kun." She chuckled, handing him a towel. "I could be stitching your head right now."

"Did that really happen?" He asked incredulously.

She crossed her heart and said, "I swear I have seen nothing funnier in my life."

"Huh..." Kakashi chuckled, "We've had the weapons to end this war all along taking care of the kitchen and buffet line. Who knew."

"Comes to show how badly our strength is spread out." Akiha giggled as she stood up with a soap bar in hand and walked down the short distance to the river to wash her hands and face.

Kakashi joined her, having pulled off the arm guards and gloves of his ANBU uniform. She passed on the soap and stared at the flowing river, enjoying the sound of the water hitting the rocks not to far off.

"I'm famished." She muttered right after her stomach grumbled as loud as the river.

"When did you eat last?" He asked, pulling her up gently from her crouch.

Unable to suppress another yawn, she walked back to their makeshift campsite. "I can't recall."

Sitting down on the sand, they leaned on the trunk side by side and quietly dug into their meals. When she pointed out she had forgotten her water flask, Kakashi offered his, but other than that, they stayed in companionable silence, enjoying the bubble like peace they had at the moment.

* * *

Akiha sighed, enjoying the warmth and comfort of the moment. Slowly, she opened her eyes to find her face plastered to a dark shirt. Her brain kicked started enough to wonder, _when did I fall asleep?_

She took in her situation. Her right thigh lay on his and her arm lay across his chest. She had totally snuggled against him and slept for who knows how long like that. She was mortified and turned on at the same time. The more confusing part was that the arm that had not served as pillow to her head held her arm to his chest.

Carefully, she extracted her arm from his grip, chanting a silent prayer for him to not wake up as she sat up. He had used his survival kit blanket to cover them, but before that he had to have carried her to the more secluded spot of the river beach since she could not recall moving from the tree trunk several meters away from where they were now.

Akiha looked down at his sleeping face, covered by the mask and wondered if he ever took it off. She could barely remember a time he had not worn it. With a smile on her lips, she relished her few good memories. Who would have thought that her paths would keep on crossing with that _shrimp_ from long ago.

Tempted to kiss his forehead as thanks for looking after her again, she decided it was best to move away before he woke up and tease her about molesting him or something ridiculous. She was tempted though. Even with the mask he was delectable to look at and she had felt the hard rock abs where he had kept her hand while they slept.

_Mind out of the gutter Akiha, _She admonished herself, _He does not look at you that way anyhow._

She found her rolled up towel close by. She noticed the towel she'd lent him laid out on a small boulder nearby, obviously damp. _Well if he bathed while I slept, I might as well do so, _she thought.

At the edge of the river next to a large boulder, the women had found that there was a sort of natural pool and that was were they liked to bathe. For once she had it for her lonesome, even though she had come down there with someone else. Part of her was glad he was all the way over there; the other was still terribly tempted.

With a sigh, she put her mind to the very uninteresting chore of laundry in hopes of ignoring her very unwise urges. Sex when it had nothing to do with a mission tended to make things too complicated for her.

Stripping off her white and blood stained uniform, she dunked it in the water, applied soap on it on all the critical spots and more than anything the bloodstains and gave it a few minutes to work it's magic. They had very little luxuries and all purpose soap was one.

After dunking the uniform twice more, she laid it out on the boulder. A quick peek over her shoulder gave no indication of any movement from the makeshift campsite so she turned to the pool with a deep sigh before jumping in and resurfacing almost immediately, holding a shriek back.

The water was bloody cold but it was always so irregardless of the time of day and it was exactly what she needed. When her body got used to the temperature she unfastened the one piece underwear at the crotch under the water. Women had to be practical during war and it was either going naked under the uniform or use the one piece standard issue undergarments. Whoever came up with that part of the uniform had a lot to answer for.

Pulling it over her head after loosening it at the sides, she concentrated on washing that piece of clothing too. Throwing it onto the boulder with practiced ease, her laundry was done and it was finally her turn to get clean. Pushing herself onto the natural ledge of the pool she lathered away with her trusty 'homemade' soap. That's when she heard the footsteps on the gravel part of the beach.

"You are too confident in yourself Second or too stupid to be bathing in the middle of nowhere on your own in broad daylight. You have no concern for the enemy?" Kakashi practically barked at her.

Akiha smirked but did not stop scrubbing her legs with the terry cloth, trying to stay calm in her head. After all, it was not the first time a man saw her bathing.

"I figured that an ANBU like you was a good enough guard to feel safe while bathing near him even if he was asleep. Aren't you ANBU like super soldiers? You can sense the enemy miles away and stuff like that?"

Unfurling her legs, she pushed off the edge back into the pool and watched the suds float away.

"You seem to have only one definition of enemy in your head Second." He did sound annoyed this time as he walked closer and used chakra on his feet to walk on the water to close the distance between them. Crouching down, he added, "You of all people should know there is more than one kind."

Akiha tried to not feel insulted but failed. So he had woken up on the wrong side of the blanket and she was going to have to hear it? _As if! _

"Are you saying I should count you as an enemy Hatake Kakashi?" She glared at him, "Are you just one more of that sort?"

As if to prove his point his eyes moved away from her face to the swell of her breasts visible under the clear water. With great effort she kept her arms floating at the sides instead of covering herself. She was not ashamed of herself or of how she trusted him. Even if he had woken up as the asshole version of Hatake Kakashi, she had a feeling he would not do anything she did not want.

Without another word, he straightened out and walked away. He sat by the tree trunk staring away from where she remained.

Akiha sighed and plunged into the water again. Quickly working the magic soap onto her hair, she washed her long, dull brown hair and rinsed it out. She had turned into a prune in the water and her five minutes of peace bubble had been popped in a very unpleasant manner.

Quickly toweling off, she dressed in the standard long sleeved blue t-shirt and pants uniform sans underwear. Her days off were the only days she enjoyed being free of the constraint of that iron maiden.

Wrapping her hair in the towel, she walked over to him. The sun was barely out so she figured she had an hour or two before anyone showed up. "What's the matter with you?" She demanded as she sat facing him.

He scratched his messy, silver hair as he sighed. "I overreacted. Sorry about that."

"No." Akiha shook her head and the towel fell off so she just let it sit on her lap. "You don't get to insult me and walk away with that sorry ass apology. You once said I was not used to receiving respect Hatake and you were right back then."

He looked up at her then and she added. "I have changed."

"You have, haven't you?" He said in a thoughtful tone. "I sincerely apologize Akiha. I threw my frustration at you and that was not fair."

Exhaling slowly, Akiha let go of her anger slowly. She decided to let him fret a little before she accepted the apology. It's the least he deserved, so she took care of her mop of hair in the meantime. Unscrewing a small bottle, she poured some cream onto her palm and then rubbed it into her hair.

"What is that?" He asked suddenly bringing back her attention to him from her hair tips.

"Almond milk." She nodded towards the forest. "There are plenty of almond trees around here so we make our personal care stuff out of it when we get a chance."

Kakashi sighed, and scratched his head roughly. "You are killing me."

Akiha smirked, "Am I? You seem fine to me other than grouchy."

His eyes gave her an accusatory glare. "Try horny."

She succeeded at hiding her grin with a haughty look. "Ah, so it's _that_ kind of frustration I got subjected to. How about next time you get frustrated with a woman you try _charming _her rather than biting her head off while she is naked in front of you."

He could not help the strangled tone in his voice it seemed as he said, "I told myself it was a bad idea to approach you last night, but somehow I was right there before you without noticing."

Scratching his head with both hands, he closed his eyes, as if it hurt to look at her right then. "I repeated to myself over and over again that all I wanted was a friendly face. After yesterday, a friend was all I really needed and you happened to step out right then. I swore that in no way did I have any intentions towards you other than having a friendly chat. But then you fall asleep on me and-"

Akiha listened quietly to his sudden rant which ended on a frustrated huff. After a few heartbeats, she asked in a soft voice. "Are we friends Tensai-kun?"

His dark, mismatched eyes, old for his age and rimmed with sleepless nights, stared intently into hers. "No. I don't think we can ever be actually."

"So you are frustrated because you don't have sex with women you hoped to befriend?" She asked.

"I don't have sex with women who live in Konoha." He shrugged, "I am not comfortable with expectations."

"Relationships you mean." She gave him a small smile when he let her know with his stare that's what he meant. "Do I look like a relationship kind of woman?"

Kakashi reached out and picked a wet strand of hair from her shoulder, smoothing it gently with his thumb. "You give me the impression of deserving that and more." He said.

"But I don't want one. Stop treating me like a precious doll, Hatake. I am a big girl and I can handle whatever you throw at me." She countered in the least snappish tone she could muster.

Whatever his impression of her I his mind, she was not comfortable with expectations either. At least not at the moment.

Kakashi frowned at her words, but they seemed to set free his reserves about her. Letting go of her hair, he grabbed her by the nape, pulling her closer as he leaned in. "I do forget at times you _are_ older than I."

"Are you calling me an obaasan?" She grabbed his shirt by the neck in a fist and grinned.

He scoffed, leaning his forehead against her head as his fingers slid up her hair and cradled her head. "I am admitting to being childish when it came to deciding where I stood with you."

Unable to resist, she nipped his lower lip gently over the mask and whispered, "You wasted a whole night Tensai-kun. You should have woken me up instead of taking a cold bath."

She ran her finger on the edge of his mask before pulling it down. "Let's go all the way Kakashi. No regrets."

"Don't say I did not try to hold off." He said in a gruff voice before taking her lower lip with his teeth and giving it a nip just like she had.

They wasted not a breath more after that statement to his restrain. Akiha felt as if he was trying to consume her through her lips alone. Their mouths locked on each other, tasting and feeding each other the desire that had been simmering on the back burner for who knew how long.

Knowing she would not pull her mouth away, he let go of her head and instead used both hands to pull her closer. It felt natural to Akiha to climb on his lap and have his hands sneak under her shirt to caress her back. Lifting her arms, she sent him a silent request which he complied immediately.

With nothing covering her breasts, his hands gladly drifted up her ribs to cup the curved swells, pinching at the peaks. She moaned into his mouth and undulated her hips over his slightly. Pushing her on to the sand, his lips drifted away from her lips to her jaw, nipping and sucking in his progress downwards. Pulling on the drawstrings of her pants, he pushed them down her hips as he suckled and tugged with his teeth at her left breast.

"Kakashi!" Akiha gasped, tugging at his hair and at the same time pulling him closer. "More! Please!"

Eager to hear his name in that tone again, he plunged three fingers into her wet core, making her scream out his name as she arched her back.

Akiha wondered what was that keening sound coming from her and she knew it to be desperation's voice. His fingers pumping in her made her rock her hips to his intense rhythm at the same time he shared his mouth with her breasts made her want to plead. She had not realized how much she had craved this -_him._

"Kakashi!" Akiha pulled on his hair with one hand so he would pay attention while the other tugged at the back of his bloodied shirt. "I want you! Now!"

He stopped his ministrations on her breasts to lick a hot trail down her abdomen, pulling her pants off her legs. Akiha sucked in a breath in awe at the hunger evident in his eyes just before he pulled his shirt over his head. His torso was unmarred save for a pair of barely there scars. It was the most delectable chest she had ever seen. She wondered then if there would be a chance to taste him in every way he seemed determined to taste her.

After he undid the fly of his pants, he hooked her knees on his shoulders. Planting his hands on her hips he tilted her just right for him to lick her wetness off the swollen nether lips. He made her gasp, shake her head as she pleaded for more and for less and for him, and scream out as he forced her to cum with his mouth. She could not remember the last time she had an orgasm from having her clit sucked alone, but she was certain she would not forget this time, any of it.

While her whole body still pulsated from that orgasm, he lowered her angle and thrust his cock in one powerful movement of his hips, making her bite down on his shoulder as hard as she could between moans. In return, he pumped and gyrated his hips, doing his best to reach all the right spots and bit down on her shoulder in kind.

Akiha cried out and he took that opportunity to cover her mouth with his. She tasted herself on his tongue as his hands burnt a trail down her body to anchor themselves on her hips.

He let go of her lips and grunted against them. "Come for me." He nipped at her lower lip a little too hard, but licked it soothingly, betraying the mad rutting of her lower bodies. "Just for me now."

She had no idea what strings those simple words pulled in her but she felt them from her brain to her cunt and obliged him moaning out his name with her nails digging onto his back. He joined her with his own release a few thrusts later grunting something intelligible at her ear, pulling gently on her hair.

In the aftermath of their raw pleasure, Akiha felt her legs weaken on their loosely crossed position behind his neck and slowly and awkwardly brought them down. He huffed at her neck and nuzzled it slowly. Licking his bite on her shoulder he muttered an apology. Her only answer was to caress his hair.

Reason had little to do with what they had unleashed inside each other, and at that moment little did they care. They wordlessly agreed to enjoy the raw attraction between them, no regrets.

They remained in that position, joined at the hip until they regained their breath and the tingling on their lower extremities subsided. Shifting their position to lie on their sides, they ended up chuckling softly and petting each other. Before the voice of reason could make herself heard, he was thrusting gently again, stoking the embers in her to a new fire in a less frantic intensity. They kissed through it all, moaning into each others mouths until they peaked once more.

"That was..." Akiha laughed softly at the cheeky grin he gave her. So she opted to pull his mask over his face again.

He laughed at that. "Now that is a first."

"Shut up." She smiled as she ran a finger down his nose and on to his lips. She actually wanted to touch the scar over and under the left eye, but that seemed more personal to her than what they had just done.

"I'll keep in mind not to let you sleep when you're dead tired." Kakashi broke the comfortable silence, chuckling as he inspected a strand of her hair. He turned his eyes to the hill. "I think we have to go."

Akiha cursed under her breath but found humor in their situation all the same. She dressed quickly while Kakashi only had to straighten his clothes. Being the fast one of the two, he gathered all their things. Taking her hand he led them upstream.

They agreed to not go at it again when they jumped in the river to wash off. Kakashi pointed out he probably would not let her get back to the camp if they did. They walked back to camp soon after, straight to mess hall to return the wood boxes and grab some breakfast.

Akiha laughed at the speed he ate to keep his face from being seen and as much as she pried he would not say why he insisted on covering his face. They talked while she ate her breakfast at a normal pace, but soon it seemed they had run out of little things to talk about.

"I should go rest." Akiha said with some regret. "I have a forty-eight hour shift starting this afternoon."

He nodded, "I have to check if there are any orders for me"

They got up and returned their trays before walking out. Hoping to avoid the awkward good-bye or see you later moment, Akiha leaned on to him and gave him a peck on the lips.

"See you around Tensai-kun." She smiled at him. "Take care."

Kakashi nodded, quirking his lips under the mask into a smile. "You too."

Akiha gave his now clean chest plate a pat and turned away with her things bundled in the towels pressed to her chest. When she reached her tent, she went on to take care of her things, trying not to think much about the past hours or the little hole she felt in her chest.

Having no more chores to do in her little square of the tent she had called home for the past nine months, she sat on the cot and slowly exhaled. "No regrets." She whispered to remind herself of her view on life.

Akiha was certain Kakashi would survive the war. She wasn't so sure about herself, but all the same she had said 'see you around' with that hope. Lying down, she closed her eyes and told herself she would not miss him. Emotional attachment was a luxury she could not afford.

* * *

Akiha stared at the piece of paper in her hands, unable to believe the words written on it.

"There is little time to travel Akiha." Ibiki said with his usual blank face.

Looking into his eyes, she found the concern she felt herself. Nine months of reprieve was all she had received but the piper called again. After all, no one promised her duties as a evening bloom were over that night, but it had not kept her from hoping silently that the war would end before another order arrived.

She took a deep breath and looked away from Ibiki, only to set his eyes on Kakashi who stood with a new team, discussing their own orders probably, with Yondaime. It seemed he felt her eyes on him, for he turned around. The pang in her chest was there again but she smiled at him and mouthed a _thank you _before looking back at Ibiki.

Pressing her thumb on the fire seal, she sent some chakra onto it and the paper turned to ashes between them. "Give me a moment to pack my things."

Ibiki handed her a tote with the belongings of the person she would become the moment they stepped out of camp. "Yondaime will use his flashing technique to get you there. He's done recognizance in the area already." He paused, before adding what he obviously hoped to be reassuring words. "It will be a short mission Akiha. Do your best."

She forced herself to laugh and pat his chest. "I always do darling. Always do."

Walking back into the tent, she gritted her teeth as she worked on packing her few things into her standard backpack. The last thing she put in were the uniform she had been wearing just now and the barrette that had held her bangs off her forehead while she went through her facial care before work. It was the only piece she owned and cherished.

With a laugh, she placed it carefully in the pocket of her uniform and willed her tears to remain at bay. "Next time I will return it." _If I survive, _she added silently.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of its character as much as I would love to have a few of them hidden in my closet. They all belong to Mr. Kishimoto. Any of the characters you may not recognize of the canon story belong to me.

* * *

_**A Second Chance**_

**By Shihori**

* * *

**Their Circumstances**

Dancing on the streets was something Guy would do, and Kakashi would have said something if Guy, Tenma and Asuma were not so drunk it would be pointless. Music filled the streets and fireworks boomed above the village. Sandaime and Yondaime had declared the war over three days ago and the entire village had looked forward to tonight's celebration. Those out on the field had returned to the village and were accounted for.

When those three broke into song, Kakashi kept a good distance from them. Unlike his friends, drinking tonight had far from lightened his spirits. Hands in pockets, he turned left and walked away from the main street, away from all the noise and the embarrassing trio.

Kakashi walked for a long time, not noticing where his feet led him.

"I guess I'm not the only one here after all."

He looked up, recognizing her voice but all that sake was giving him a headache. "Akiha." He stepped closer, "Why is it that we never meet in broad daylight?"

She laughed, "That's an odd question Kakashi." She took a step back and scrunching her nose. "You reek of sake. Even you would get caught up in the festivities huh?"

"It's a fair question." He said, looking around somewhat disoriented. Part of him wanted to go home and sleep off his drunk bad mood, while the other part wanted to head to the cemetery and never leave it again.

However, he had found a distraction. "Every time we meet you're walking around in the dark or pressed between something and someone."

"After tonight, don't ever drink Hatake." She began walking towards the way he had arrived. "It brings out the asshole in you."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. "I'm sorry." With a sigh, he added, "That was-"

"It doesn't matter." She pulled her hand back and when he tightened his grip, she sighed. "What's the matter?"

He frowned, studying her annoyed face. "Am I the only one?"

"The only one what?" She asked.

"The only one feeling lost." He looked behind him, where the music was loud and villagers were happily celebrating. "It's been so long. Lost so many."

"You're not the only one who has lost someone." Akiha pointed out as she tried to pull her arm away again, unsuccessfully, and added, "You should count your blessings Hatake, like everyone else instead of moping now when it is _finally_ over."

"Why did you take that mission?" He suddenly blurted out.

Akiha swallowed with difficulty at that question. _That _mission had almost cost her a lot more than she wanted to admit. It had gone wrong in so many ways after it had seemed she would make it out unscathed. Despite being warned that a rescue was not a certain thing if things did not go to plan, she had taken it on, believing it was a necessary evil. And they _did _rescue her for the sake of the information, not before she was taught what the enemy could do to female enemy spies.

When she pleaded to be killed already, it seemed that would be the only relief that would be denied to her. Then the team sent to retrieve her had arrived and she had been extracted, not without cost. Ibiki, the only person she considered a friend, had been captured and when he returned, something had died in him.

A lot had been lost besides lives, but Akiha refused to give it hold of her life.

"I received orders," She said, glaring at him. "Just like you still do I'm sure. Are we going to argue about this now Hatake-san? Because this cannon fodder is pretty tired of fighting."

Kakashi winced as if she had hit him. He shook his head, letting go of her wrist. Her hand fell back and he immediately missed the warmth of her hand. He felt frozen from head to toes. "I shouldn't have brought this up."

Rubbing his face over the mask and the forehead protector covering his left eye, he added. "Sulking while drunk. That's not what I normally do after a few cups."

"I think you went over a few." She pointed out still reeling from his impertinence. "You should head on home and sleep it off."

"Which way are you going?" He asked, not wanting to watch her walk away again.

Akiha sighed, telling herself it was pointless to stay mad at a drunkard. She rubbed her arms before crossing them over her chest. "Home. I had a long talk with mom and did not notice the time. It's pretty chilly for a summer night."

"Your house burnt down." He pointed out. Back then he had wondered what had happened to her after he left her that day.

"I have an apartment now." She said in a deadpan tone.

It was clear to him she did not feel comfortable with him right now and part of him wanted to let her go so he could stop being an ass to her for no good reason. The other wanted to keep her with him as long as he could.

Kakashi had not dealt with the way he felt betrayed when Yondaime told him what was going to happen with Akiha. Yondaime had explained how her chakra type made her the best candidate to gather that intel, but it did not make him less resentful of the whole situation and its players, including Yondaime.

The only reason he received an explanation was because Yondaime had heard the from the rumor mill what had happened only that morning. He did not have to inform him of her mission, but he respected his former student that much. It had taken him a while to reconcile in his mind with his sensei and Yondaime had realized that much, giving him the space needed.

He did not know how long he had been lost in his thoughts but her exasperated sigh made him look up at her. When she smiled at him, he could tell she was going to attempt to take the high road and end their pointless spat.

"It's been a long time Kakashi. How about I treat you to a hot meal? I do owe you one."

"Do you?" He frowned, trying to remember.

"Its a very old debt." Akiha laughed, "But it's a debt all the same."

Reaching out to him, she pulled on the sleeve of his uniform and forced him to start walking. "Come on. I feel like donburi."

Food was the last thing in his mind but he followed her all the same. If she had not crossed his path, he would have continued the train of thought that had led him down the path to the cemetery. He had done his part o end the war. Konoha had taken all he could give already. He wanted to be done with his shinobi life. In the past few months somehow he had lost the confidence he had held on to tightly. For some reason, her company was what he craved now like a famished man.

They did not speak on their way to the restaurant. The streets had been packed with people, so she took lead and pulled him along by the sleeve. Akiha ordered everything to go, preferring to eat at a quiet spot.

When he added a pair of bottles of sake to the order, she gave him grief, but all he did was shrug it off. Bags in hand they found a good spot on Shodai Hokage's headband to watch the second wave of fireworks of the night.

"Gods, I'm freezing!" She exclaimed, cracking open the container with his order of soba noodles. "But this is an awesome spot." She added as a dragon exploded into the sky.

As she pulled her container out, he heard her sing to herself and if he was not mistaken, wiggled her hips slightly, "Donburi, donburi...o-ya-ko donburi!"

Kakashi burst out laughing at that. "How old are you?"

"I would like to know too." She said with a cheeky grin as the chopsticks on her hands came apart.

Kakashi chuckled as she dug into the bowl and her face lit even more as she savored the meal. Looking at his own, he figured they were far away from any crowd and pulled down his mask and leaned back on the stone to comfortably eat his noodles.

"I think I owe you once more." He said as she leaned back on the stone too.

Akiha looked at him and smiled at him mockingly. "What imaginary thing did I do now, that makes you in my debt?"

_For keeping me from following on my father's steps. _Kakashi opened up the sake bottle. He doubted she would not know what he was referring to since it was common knowledge how the White Fang had died, so he did not voice his thoughts.

"Is that really a good idea?" She asked while giving the sake bottle a concerned look. "I brought you here to sober you up, not make you wasted."

"I did not eat earlier." He pointed out and waved the bottle between them. "It will warm you up."

"Thanks but if you trip from here in your drunken stupor I would like to be the sober person who says I told you so." She grinned and returned to her food, occasionally taking sips from the flask of water she'd carried in her bag.

As soon as they finished eating, she placed it all back in the take out bags, except for his second bottle of sake.

"Did you mean you owe me because of dinner?" She asked suddenly, uncrossing her legs at the ankles and bringing them to her chest. "Or for distracting you from your sullen mood?"

"Take a guess." He asked, taking the last drink from the first bottle.

"Those were my guesses." She said, resting her chin on her arms over the knees. "Hey!" She suddenly sat up again and gave him an suspicious glare. "Better not be because I treated you to dinner. I fully expect you to return the favor if we meet in the dark again in a grouchy mood."

Kakashi knew he had to feel ashamed for earlier but the way she threw it at his face was too funny, or he was too relaxed -not drunk, with sake. He braced himself against his propped knee as he laughed it out of his system.

"Hey," She said in a surly tone, "You're making me imagine you rolling off this ledge."

"I'm not going to apologize again." He said between chuckles, turning his face to her, "But I'll treat you next time we meet in daylight."

Akiha rested her head sideways on her knees so their eyes were somewhat on the same level. "Sounds like a deal to me, Tensai-kun."

"We have a deal Second." He said, chuckling at the annoyance in her eyes and the slight pout. "Stop calling me that and I'll stop calling you Second."

She straightened up and leaned closer. "That's not fair. You got called a genius, which is not a lie, by everyone. I have no idea why you call me Second."

"Hmm..." He pretended to think about it as he opened the second bottle and said, "Maybe one day I'll clue you into it."

Rolling her eyes, she huffed and leaned back. "Oh well. One day you better fess up and not to my grave."

The drink he had just taken burned on its way down his throat. In his chest, unreasonable anger bloomed from those words. After all, he knew how far gone she had been when the rescue team had brought her back to the village. He had even visited her after Yondaime had let him know, but she was heavily sedated then. Unable to deal with what he saw in that hospital bed, he had not gone to see her again.

A passing thought crossed his mind about being too drunk as he brought the bottle back to his lips but her words rang in his ears. Death -_hers_- anyone's, was a thought he did not want to ponder about. Not tonight.

Reaching out, he brought her back from her thoughts and pulled her closer by the neck.

Surprised, she began to form a question but he took advantage of that half second and pressed his mouth to hers. Pushing his tongue into her mouth, he forced her to drink from his mouth. At the taste of the rice liquor, she tried to push him away. He knew he was being all kinds of an ass as he ignored her attempts to break away from him, but what had began as a drunken, angry kiss was making him wish for more, right then and there. To hell with everything.

With his other arm he pulled her against him, keeping her in place with the hand at her neck. A small sob escaped between their lips. Instead of letting her go, his hold on her tightened. _Give in,_ he silently pleaded, _Just give in. _

He wanted to believe that if he was truly hurting her, other than her pride, she would have bitten off his tongue by now and made a bloody mess of him.

The hands gripping his uniform sweater unfurled at last and caressed his neck instead of strangling it. He loosened his grip on her, and tentatively he began to be more gentle at her mouth. Nipping at her lower lip a few times, he risked pulling back and looking at her face. When all she did was frown at him but not push him away, he decided he could not apologize for this.

Her hands slid up over the bunched up mask at his neck and while one went around to touch his hair, the other gently touched his lips. "We will regret this." She whispered.

"I have many regrets. This minute, I do not care." He said and sucked in her forefinger.

A gasp escaped her lips. Pulling her finger out, she leaned in for a kiss. Kakashi slid his hands down from her waist, he cupped her ass to bring her closer and leaned against the stone again. She needed no more encouragement to straddle his lap and mold herself to him.

Kakashi found the knot holding the fabric belt around her waist and undid it. She pulled back from his lips then and reached over the left shoulder of the dress and undid the clasps hidden under the embroidery. He watched her part the dress to reveal the matching pair of black underwear underneath. He was particularly mesmerized by the lace cups restraining her breasts.

She then reached around his head to untie his headband, allowing him to see her with both eyes. When she traced the scar over his eye, he realized he actually felt comfortable with her in every way. Usually he did not allow women to touch that particular scar. In fact when he met the few women he enjoyed having sex with, he would keep that eye covered with an eye patch. But with her, he had no concern for that scar. All he worried about was how to enjoy her the most.

Leaning in, she kissed the scar under the eye and smiled encouragingly at him.

His hands snaked from her rear onto the skin of her waist. Coming closer he nibbled at her chin, tasting some of the sake on her skin there. Following the liquor trail down her neck until it ended where the blouse's collar had been, he continued sucking and nibbling at her delicate skin. Between half closed eyes he could see the blush on her skin, deepen in color. It thrilled him to know he was causing it -the blush and the gasps coming from her swollen lips, but most importantly he loved the slow undulation of her hips over his.

Undoing the clasp on the band, he set it aside as he made his way downward with his lips. He had felt the welts on her back on that particular area, but it did not matter how her body had changed since their last encounter. All that matter was to get reacquainted with it. His hands moved under her breasts, them up slightly.

Her hands played with his hair as she waited. He could feel it on the rapid pulse under her skin, but just as he got closer, he denied them the pleasure for a moment more. Looking up at her, he could not help but chuckle at the rebellious glint in her eyes.

"I want to take my time with them." He said, "But I want to be fair to you."

"Have I asked for it?" She said impatiently. "You do know we're in plain view of the entire village. Someone is bound to come check who's up here."

He laughed and proceeded to take off his shirt. He arranged it as best as he could on the spot where she had been sitting moments earlier. "Your dress won't be noticed but my black getup will be, and they'll definitely come to check, so let's make the most of it before I'm yelled at to pull my pants back up."

Akiha burst out laughing at that reminder. "Wonder if it will be a rookie or a senior that gets that honor?"

"I don't know." He leaned in to give her shoulder a quick nibble and then lifted her off his lap. She sat down on his shirt, keeping her knees together, and smiling up at him. He knelt at her feet, watching his fill and letting her watch what she wanted.

_Now why do I find that more alluring with her than when the others do it._, he wondered as he undid the fastenings of the standard issue kunai belt and pants.

Bending down, he kissed each knee first before pulling them apart with his hands. One hand trailed down a calve while the other lifted her leg by the ankle to nibble at the corner between knee and the back of it. The tension on her leg muscles and the small gasp, let him know what he was wondering and decided to play with that area later.

"Kakashi..." She said in a pleading tone. "Please stop teasing me."

Setting her foot down again, he chuckled as he moved over her. "I look forward to you saying that again later." Looking down at her breasts, he smiled at the dark pebbles, pointed slightly to the sides. The chill in the air and their previous petting had done its work so it was time for him to enjoy them.

"Later?" She asked, confused.

"Definitely." He said, cupping the left breast and licking the pebbled nipple slowly bringing a low groan from her. Smiling at the sudden press of her legs at his hips, he said, "Later." And began suckling the nipple steadily while the other got pinched and pulled.

"Ah!" Akiha gasped when he bit down, not so gently. "Kakashi!"

He could spend hours just teasing her breasts only to hear her moan and feel her squirm under him, but once that mental note was made, he decided his cock could not take much longer of her moaning without causing some of its own. Parting for the moment from her chest, not without making sure the nipples were quite wet and painfully aroused, he moved from between her legs and lay down next to her. As if by habit, her knees came back together, leaving just a V shape for him to see of her underwear.

Her eyes, half dazed searched for his, and the silent question in them made him smile. "The midnight fireworks will start soon."

Again she frowned at him, "You were keeping track of that?"

Chuckling he kissed her, teasing her tongue into his mouth. Keeping it short he pulled back and kissed her earlobe. "It seems we are yet to be noticed up here." He said and nibbled at it, "But before we move on, I want to get you to promise me something."

"What is it?" She asked, somewhat amused.

"If someone finds us here, you're not going to tell me you won't come home with me." He grinned as she laughed. The sound of her laugh had pretty much the same effect in him as her moans. "I'm not letting you tell me you've lost interest."

"Or that you can't scratch my itch?" She turned to her side and caressed the dips and hardness of his chest and abdomen, only to stop at the edge of the undone pants. "I promise I won't leave you hanging."

Leaning in close, she pressed her lips to his left pectoral and closed her teeth on the skin. Giving the nipple a quick lick she looked up and said softly, "Now, will you please fuck me?"

Without reply, he stood up to step out of the pants and enjoyed the hunger in her eyes as she looked at him. "Lie on the other side, facing that way." He said as he lied down next to her again.

She did as told, lifting her head when he slipped his forearm under her neck. "Don't you want me to take off the rest of my clothes?" She asked as he pressed his chest to her back and hard cock to her ass.

Nibbling at her ear and neck he said, "If someone does come check on Shodaime's no longer pristine headband, I would prefer to keep them from seeing you fully naked." He ran his free hand over her breasts and abdomen.

Turning her head slightly, she wrapped a hand on his neck and kissed him. As their tongues mimicked the next step, his hand slid under the black fabric at the apex of her thighs. It was all he had to do for her to lift her leg and hook it over his. He probed between the wet folds, caressing and gently tugging at the nerve nub. The moans against his lips and the bucking of her hips against his, made him stop teasing her and torturing himself.

Pulling away from her he said at her ear, "Bring your knee to your chest."

Quietly, she did as told. He pulled the crotch of the panties aside and pressed the swollen head of his cock into her wet channel, slowly, enjoying the sighs and low moans coming from her.

Letting go of the fabric, he brought that arm to her raised leg and supported its weight by hooking the back of the knee to his forearm. Then he thrust the remaining length into her.

"Ah!" She groaned at the sudden force, and whispered, "You're so deep!"

"Am I hurting you?" He asked, concerned but hoping he would not have to change positions. The way her muscles tightened around his cock was too delicious to forfeit. So he did not move in the meantime, so she could get used to having him inside.

"Don't hate me for saying this." She said softly with a small frown, making him tense up. "It's the first time someone gets this deep in me."

"Call me a selfish bastard." He kissed her cheek, temple and ear. "But I just want to be as deep as I can in you. Knowing that only makes me want to take you this way even more."

Then he began to pull back and thrust in, slowly at first but quickly the speed changed up. Each time Akiha called his name out or moaned it, he felt his control let go a little more. And when she began crying out '_more!' _ it was his undoing.

Shifting the angle of their bodies by bringing his other arm out from under her head, forcing her to lie on her belly. With her leg still propped high by his arm, the angle deepened his thrusts. He planted kisses and bites on her shoulders and neck when he gave her a small respite of the constant , thrusts, but soon she would buck her hips towards him as much as the odd position allowed. He could hear her even through the booming sound of the fireworks being launched into the midnight sky.

"Kakashi...Please!" She cried out, grabbing his sweater underneath her. "Oh god...don't! Don't stop!"

"Come Akiha..." He grunted onto her hair, "I want you to come!"

Kakashi thrust into her twice more, sending her over the edge. One more thrust and he spilled inside her, groaning into the curtain of her hair. Before he could drop over her, he rolled them onto the side and hugged her tightly. Her hands came to rest on his arm.

They lay there quietly, catching their breaths and watching the final fireworks of the night. No one did come check the Hashirama monument, but Kakashi still whispered at her sleeping face, "You're still coming home with me."

* * *

Kakashi woke her up the minute he noticed the blood on her knees and apologized as he tried to help out with the cut. She had just muttered it was alright and asked for a kunai to cut up the fabric belt. She bandaged up the cut and dabbed at the other minor scratches on her thighs. She had not said much other than having to get home to clean up.

Kakashi dressed quickly, not wishing to give her time to head on without him. She picked up the bags and slipped into the flat, black slippers. _No heels_, he noticed for the first time as he came up behind her and kissed her shoulder. He had grown taller than her, he realized with some satisfaction as he pulled the mask over his face again.

"We should head down." She said softly, looking at the way they had come up.

Without asking, he grabbed the bags from her hand, hooked them on his arms and picked her up.

"I can walk." She immediately protested.

"Of course you can." He pointed out, "I only fucked you senseless on a stone bed. I did not cut your feet off." Giving her a deadpan look, he added. "Now put your arms around my neck Second and let me carry you home."

Her sudden cold attitude was putting him off his good mood, so he bid his time. After a while, he gave up and tried once more.

"Are you angry?", was all he could come up with as he carried her down the quiet streets.

His apartment building was thankfully at a quieter corner of the village and close to the monument, so it would be a short walk.

"I'm angry that we may have ruined a perfectly good friendship." Akiha said with a serious tone while her eyes stared at the lower half of his face. "Sex never leads to anything good for me in the end."

"Friendship has never been in my mind when it came to you and you know that well." He pointed out, "Not even the first time we met did I think we could be friends. And I think earlier ended pretty good, despite the cut on your knee." A little annoyance showed in his tone as he asked, looking down at her, "Why didn't you tell me you were hurting"

She blushed and turned her face to his shoulder. "I did not notice."

After a heartbeat, she glared up at him. "Stop smirking."

"How would you know if I am?" He countered, grinning wider.

"I am very observant." Akiha's glare intensified.

"Don't hate me Akiha." He chuckled softly, allowing her to stew in his arms in silence.

She spoke again a few minutes later. "If I don't want to be hurt," She said looking into his eyes. "I should leave now, on my own."

"I don't want to let you go," He replied immediately, surprised by her words, but somewhat resigned to the idea that this was not only up to him. "I will if you insist though. "

Closing her eyes, she bit her lower lip while she pondered about it. He was tempted to suck that lip away from its prison, but he would bid his time. If today was not so emotionally charged for him, he probably would not have lost control, even with the sake. He was off duty for two weeks so he had planned a trip for tomorrow, but the one girl -woman- from this village, who actually disturbed him in this way had crossed his path.

Opening her eyes, she looked up at him again. Her eyes were less confused and he could feel confidence wrapping around her. It was up to him now, he figured.

"What do you think of me?" She asked.

"That's a loaded question." He answered, "Should I answer even when I know you might hate my answer?"

"Your only other choice is to let go of me and walk away." Akiha pointed out.

"I'll take my chances then." Kakashi stopped walking and looked at her. "I think you are the strongest woman I've ever met. Only someone of mental strength could have taken such a responsibility during the war. And my respect for you, despite my behavior at times, has no limits Akiha. I count myself lucky to know you."

"I'm no longer an evening bloom, just so you know." Akiha suddenly said as if that was necessary information. "It seems that it had upset you that I had taken that mission but it allowed me to demand my release of that role."

"It does not matter to me now, but I am glad for you." He said, hoping she would believe it as much as he did.

Kakashi knew that no matter how confident she seemed to be, she still needed reassurance that in his mind she had not left the impression other men had of her. So he added to his previous statement, "I have always been stunned by the fire in your eyes Akiha and the beauty of your smile. Not to mention that you are beautiful all around." He leaned in and kissed her lips through the mask. "Can you blame me for taking a chance when I see it?"

"A chance." She repeated and then sighed. "I will probably stick to glue to you if you're not careful. I can tell by the lack of stories about you -other than you being gay or a virgin, that you are not the girlfriend type. After all you did say relationships were not your thing."

"You're right." He said right away, not wanting her to head down that rabbit hole.

She seemed to find that amusing for she chuckled and shook her head, patting his shoulder. "Let me down please."

This time he did as asked and frowned at her smile. "I told you sex never ends well for me. There's only been two men I have been with without a mission involved. You are one."

"And the other?" He couldn't help asking.

Akiha tilted her head to a side, considering her words, but that cryptic, noncommittal smile of hers meant no real answer would be forthcoming. "You don't need to know to make my point."

Resting her hands on his shoulders, she stood on tiptoes and nipped on his lips over the mask. "I truly enjoyed being with you tonight, every moment of it."

Letting go, she stepped away from him. "I am famished in here." She said, pressing a hand to her chest. "For the sake of _this_ thing we have between us, I'm telling you right now, let's greet each other when we see the other on the street, otherwise it would be too sad, but let's not do this again."

When he did not reply, she attempted an aloof smile. "Good night Kakashi."

Kakashi watched her walk away with a slight limp. Turning his eyes away, he stood rooted in that spot for a long time so as to not follow her and try to change her mind. Akiha had made it clear to him without spelling it to him. She had changed again. A few months ago she did not care for a relationship either and now what she wanted was not what he was seeking.

The war was over. It was only natural that she would want to live a normal life -or as normal as it can be for shinobi. But then, she was not truly a full fledged shinobi. She was a civilian with a permanent off-duty card. And she had read it in him that a relationship was not what he wanted. Long ago he had decided to stay away from that kind of commitments and all they entailed, because in the long run he did not want someone to mean too much to him. He had been selfish enough tonight, so he turned to the opposite direction and took the long way home.

* * *

_**Two years after Kyuubi attack.**_

Kakashi was unsure of what devil had possessed him tonight but it had brought him to her door after the mission. Since that summer night he had done his best to be friendly with her, but for some reason he always ended up riling her up. It was not exactly a relationship what he was looking for but he needed her with desperation. He needed to know that she would not disappear too. The aftermath of the Kyuubi's attack had resulted in more loss. Yondaime was someone he had looked up to as a older brother and in a way a father figure. His wife had always been kind and caring towards him too.

Loss made him want to hold onto Akiha even more and as unfair as it was to her, it did not stop him from seeking her out. They were 'together' for a few months but she would refuse to have sex with him when he attempted to take things beyond kisses. It was her way of saying 'all or nothing' with more than just words.

It was childish of him, he knew, wanting her but not wanting to give her what she was seeking. If he had to be honest with himself, he was too worried about growing too terribly attached to her only to have her ripped away by circumstance, by fate, by death. When he tried explaining that to her, she had ended up hurt with his words since he had made poor sense that day. He had insulted her strength and capability by calling her a weak link to make a point of how fragile she seemed to him when it came to the battlefield.

"That's awfully selfish of you Kakashi." She had glared at him through the wetness gathering in her eyes. "This-" Waving her hand between them, she said with finality, "Stops now Hatake. Find someone else and stop wasting my life."

Akiha had walked away as she always did after their time together, but this time he had lost the courage to approach her again. He had already grown too attached to her but he did not have the guts to face the consequences. Her medic training went on after war and even though it was over there were still rogue shinobi in the country side. Without regard to his objections, she had signed up to be a field medic under her supervisor's recommendation. Medics were always the first to fall in battle if the team was not successful to prevent the first attack, usually aimed at that valued asset.

After that last date, he saw her very little, and the few times he had her as medic in his team, she kept their conversations crisp and professional. With time, they grew farther apart but he heard from the town fishwives -Genma and Guy, every bit of news they got of hold of on her. Genma had ended up besotted with her after one mission together. Unfortunately, they had all been drinking and Kakashi did not take well to the way his ANBU teammate gushed about her. He had let the cat out of the box and after that the two fishwives had kept him appraised of what she did whether he wanted to know or not.

With time she began dating again and he could not help staring at her when their paths did cross. He envied every man she went out with, but knew they were giving her the normalcy she craved for. Soon she ended up going steady with someone. That's when he told himself to stop pining over her.

And he had, or so he had fooled himself into believing, -until the night previous to his mission. Guy had dropped her name again out of the blue in their conversation much to his annoyance, but it had been Asuma who had given him the unwanted piece of information. He was friends with them and knew her boyfriend planned to ask her to marry him. That was all he needed to obsess over her during the entire mission.

Staring at the door, he decided there was no going back. It made no difference to his need that his brain kept saying over and over again _she will turn you away. _Then he would answer to his pessimist side that he had to give it a try.

The sharp sting on the left shoulder blade reassured him she would at least give him five minutes of her time. With that reassuring thought, he knocked on her apartment door.

It took a few tries but it was to be expected at two in the morning. He heard her voice through the door a few heartbeats before the door chain was removed and the door opened a smidgen to keep the cold air out.

"You? Why are you here?" Akiha asked in a sleepy voice. "Do you know what time it is?"

Kakashi tried not to wince at the way she said _you_ and explained right away to avoid having the door slammed at his face. "The hospital is running on a skeleton crew due to the snowstorm and my teammates needed more help than I. So I came to see the only nurse friend I have."

He tried not to smile when the sleepiness in her green eyes vanished in a blink, doing a quick check over of him.

"It's my shoulder. Need a few stitches, most likely."

Opening the door wider, she said as she walked back in with a brisk step. "You're in ANBU gear. Are you certain you should have come here? Isn't it a violation of the rule book?"

Closing the door behind him, he slipped out of the black, standard boots at the small square entry way tiled with gray stone. Taking two steps on the tatami covered floor, he stood at the edge of the tiny room. Everything seemed to be within a four step reach.

"If it's not bad you should have waited." Was the reprimand coming from his right. She was standing on a stool, reaching for the first aid kit inside the top kitchen cabinet.

He was tempted to get closer with the pretense of helping her out, but decided that might be pushing his luck. Hoping to not stare at her bare legs under the long sleeved, god awful green, sleep shirt, he looked around and took in the small apartment in. Everything was tidy and clean. It made it feel livable instead of unbearable due to the cramped space. And he had believed his place was tiny, but then, he was not a good housekeeper.

"Where exactly are you hurt?" She asked, putting away the stool under the sink cabinet and grabbing the tool box sized kit.

"Left shoulder. I can't tell how bad since I took a pill to numb the pain. Had to carry one of the unconscious ones." He explained, "One of the other guys stuck some gauze under the shirt but I can tell it's bled enough to soak it."

"Thank god for black huh?" She muttered a she walked towards the futon. Sitting down on the floor between the rumpled futon and the round table, she gave him an impatient look. "I'm hoping to go back to sleep soon, so whenever you're ready."

He sat down, giving his back to her, trying to tamper down his nervousness. He felt her fingers probe around the gap on his gray leather vest.

"Can you lift your arm?" She asked. "We have to remove this."

Unsnapping the shoulder strap and the vest on the side, he was able to take off the vest with the right hand. Looking over his shoulder, he said, "Just cut the sweater. It's useless now anyways." and removed his mask, so it would not get damaged in the process.

Kakashi bid his time while she snipped at the fabric just enough to reveal the wound and removed the gauze from his wound. She informed him that it would indeed need stitches and after that she quietly worked on it.

"I'd like to try something." She said once the stitching was done.

Kakashi had felt every stitch, since the pill had worn out around the time he had returned to the village, but he had no intention to let her know that. However, he was not sure about the tone of her voice. She sounded unsure, but eager. All the same, he asked, "What's that?"

"Daisuke-sensei, helped me figure out how to tap onto my chakra for healing." She said, gently patting around the wound with a wet gauze. "I haven't had many opportunities to practice other than on pig skin."

He turned his head slightly over the right shoulder. "Are you asking if I want to be your guinea pig? I don't know Second...you might do some real damage and then what will I do if I can't go back to my regular activities. But sure, go ahead and do your worst."

She glared daggers at him. It made him smile despite knowing he was in for an earful.

"What I meant in all seriousness is how are you going to repay me for waking me up at this ungodly hour on this bloody frozen night and asking me to patch you up Mr. I've never seen you as a friend but easily invoke a non-existent friendship when it tickles my fancy."

He winced at that and scratched an non-existent itch on his brow as he turned his face away. "I was only teasing Akiha, but I deserved that."

"You did. You also deserved me slamming the door on your face, but I guess I'm that much of an idiot." She snapped at his back. "So what is it going to be Hatake?"

"I'll be glad to help you out with your practice." He said, "And I'm not being facetious when I say that."

"Thank you," She said through gritted teeth as she stood up. "But I'm sure I can find enough practice at the hospital if I head in now."

He watched her pick up quickly with slightly trembling hands the bloody strips and squares she'd used on him before giving him wide berth by going around the table.

Kakashi got on his feet and stepped behind her without a second to waste. Reaching around her torso with his good arm, he clamped the hand onto her left shoulder, pulling her body tight against his. When she tried to push away, he simply pressed more firmly with his forearm at her breast bone and curled into her, whispering onto her hair close to her ear, "I'm always an idiot with you Akiha. Forgive me."

"If you're only apologizing to get me to spread my legs again, then you might as well head out the door now Hatake." She hissed, "Go find someone to release your post mission stress elsewhere."

"That is not why I am here!" He said more forcefully than he meant to. "I did not come here asking for your help hoping to get a quick fuck out of you."

And in a way it was true what he was saying. Oddly enough, he had started to crave something more than sex whenever he thought of her. The idea of her finding someone to have that with had pushed him over the edge.

"Save it Hatake. I'm not interested." Her hands, still held the bloody gauze in the sink and they closed on the mess tightly. Despite the gloves it looked wrong to him for her to have his blood on her hands. "Just go please."

"Am I too late?" He muttered before he could censor that thought. She tensed even more in his hold. He might as well trudge on. "Did you say yes?"

She scoffed and glared at him over her shoulder, "Is that what this is about? What is it to you Hatake?"

Kakashi frowned, tightening his hold on her. "I am an childish idiot Akiha but knowing that you will be out of my reach for certain threw me out of my senses. I don't want to accept the idea of another man and you."

Akiha's sudden burst of laughter hurt his ears. "You're unbelievable! You lost your chance Kakashi! All this time It could have been you, but you chose not to be!"

Kakashi stared down at the crown of her head as she shook with anger in his arm. Gritting his teeth, he let go and took a step back. She rounded on him right away.

"Your self-centered ways have no limits do they?" She pushed on his chest plate to make him step back more, staining it with his blood.

"Your fear of losing those you love kept you from taking a chance on me. And what did it get you, you ass!"

She sneered at him as she pushed him again. "How many more graves do you have in your visiting list now Tensai-kun? The fear of mine being part of your list kept you from having the past two years with me! Did you enjoy mourning on your own? Did it make the pain more your own?"

"We could have been there for each other Hatake. You did not only deny yourself that, you took that chance from me too! And now you show up here, hoping for what? Answer that first Hatake!"

Kakashi stared at her reddened face and the way her frame shook in anger. He wondered if he had made a mistake coming tonight, forcing her to bear his frustrations once more. And then he remembered how he had felt on his way back to the village, wounded and desperate to see her. All he could think was of how he could have had her safe in his bed, where he could reach out to her and shake the numbness in him after a mission like that one. More importantly, he wanted to know what it would be like to have her next to him always. The idea of her giving all she could offer to another man had driven him mad with jealousy.

"I want to interfere." He said, not sure the possessiveness of his thoughts would gain him any points with her, so he kept it toned down. "I want you Akiha and everything that entails. I want to be with you."

It seemed an eternity to him, but some of the negative tension in her body slid away with a slowly released breath from her lips. He stared at her and allowed himself to hope when she smiled at him, but her words brought that hope to a quick death.

"I am leaving Konoha." She said with a final tone. "I'm not marrying him, Kakashi. I cannot be with someone, love or not, who cannot accept who I have been and who I want to be."

Without her giving him any details, he knew she had told her boyfriend about her time as an evening bloom and that part of her life had made him rescind his proposal.

Akiha shook her head as if clearing her head. "Kakashi, I truly wish we could have had more, but I understand how you feel. The idea of you not coming back from a mission was my demon to deal with too back then when we dated, as short as it was. And that is not going to change whether we give it a try now."

Kakashi took her face in his hands and wiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks even as she forced herself to smile. "Is there really no way Second? Give us an honest chance."

"You're the strong asset Kakashi." She pointed out patting his chest plate. "I'm the weak link right? You will bury me if I remain in Konoha because I won't stop going out as a field medic. Part of me needs to be out there and I won't deny my calling for the sake of someone else, irregardless of my feelings for him."

"And if I don't die, there will come a time when you will fight me on that again and win because I'll be so beyond my common sense that I will want to do anything to make you happy at the cost of my identity as a shinobi of this village."

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "And then I will be that woman sitting alone at night wondering _when. _When will you return from the mission, when will I loose you to the battlefield. When will I die to be with you again. Because unlike me, you don't have a choice to make Kakashi. You _are_ part of the heart that keeps Konoha beating and such assets never really stop beating until they are six feet under."

Shuddering, she let a small laugh escape. "Those worries never came up with him, you know? That is why I stayed with him that long. He had that worry, but I did not. I was free to live and die without regrets." Her green eyes bright with tears turned up to him again. "Just like you are free to live and die without worry of the ones you leave behind."

Listening to her Kakashi understood at last what had kept him from holding onto her back then and why she kept walking away. They had fallen hard for each other long ago but their fear of losing someone so close to their hearts was paralyzing just like the desire for each other was intoxicating. Emotions between them were always intense, good or bad. He knew she was right.

"We are too screwed up aren't we Second?" He said softly, pulling her closer by the nape of her neck to which she just choked on a sob.

He leaned down to lay his forehead on hers. A part of him refused to give in, give up, let go, while the other wondered when had they grown so close and apart at the same time; when had she become shorter than him and when had she truly given up on him.

He had missed his window of opportunity to have the woman he wanted to know and love for as long as he had a breath in his body. How other shinobi did it -having a relationship and a family, was a mystery to him.

"You have to go." She said, choking on the words and leaning away from him onto the counter behind her. "Please..."

He nodded, feeling numb from head to toes, but all the same he turned away and grabbed his things. Just as he opened the door and tried to at least thank her, for everything, she walked up to him and pulled him down by the neck to lay a soft press of lips on his.

"This is yours." Her voice was raw with emotion as she pressed something onto his hand. "Thank you for lending it to me. It gave me a lot of strength." With a smile she added, "I could not let you go without telling you that."

Before he could look at what she gave him, she pushed him out the door and closed it behind him. He stared at the door but found he could not reach out and open it again.

Opening his fist, he stared at something from his past. He had watched his mother go into the casket with the matching hair pin. Closing his hand around the matching pair, he pulled his mask over his face again, muttering softly at the door, "Let's meet again in another life, Second."

* * *

**Thirteen years later...**

There was no reasoning with someone driven to madness by loss. Kakashi knew that first hand, but unlike Obito, he had a lifeline during the darkest days. However, Naruto had managed to get through to him. He had watched most of the final moments of this war through his link to Obito and never had he felt more proud or relieved in his life.

Kakashi watched from the corner of his eye as he was carried away on the stretcher. The tree from hell was slowly falling apart, like a withering flower's petals falling to the ground.

He had escaped the alternate pocket in which Obito had left him, but it had taken most of his chakra and terribly good timing to come through. All the same he was glad to be able to witness it, even if not all of it. His wound was starting to go septic and Tsunade-sama had worn herself out healing the masses through Katsuyu. Sakura-chan was looking after Naruto. It was up to the rest of the medic staff to look after the heavily wounded.

"Hold on Hatake-san!" The medic running along side his stretcher encouraged him as he tried to control the infection with his chakra. "The field hospital mobilized closer to the battlefield. Just hold on a little longer."

Closing his eyes, he sent the same prayer to his pupil. _Hold on Naruto...you have to enjoy what you have achieved._

Kakashi opened his eyes to a dull yellow light. His mouth was dry as cotton and his entire body felt swollen and sore to the marrow. Close to him, he could hear low moans and at times someone's sobs. He figured he was in one of the recovery tents.

His body did not want to respond when he tried to move. Taking slow breaths he tried to calm down the rising fear. How long had he been there? What had happened?

Footsteps grew closer and then he saw someone in the medic team jacket, checking on the person across him. The white stripe on her bicep indicated that she was a level five medic. Clearing his throat had hurt but it had brought her attention to him even if for a split second before she went back to checking the other shinobi. He closed his eyes again,certain that he would be looked at next.

He first felt her fingers around his wrists and then heard her call his name in low, throaty voice he never hoped to hear again. Opening his eyes, he found her sitting on a stool next to the cot.

"Second." He croaked. His pulse sped up and her smirk let him know she had noticed, but all the same she did not take her eyes away from the watch.

"I can break all your bones and mend them in odd angles so that you will never walk straight again." She looked at him, letting go of his wrist. "Please, _do _ call me that again."

Kakashi choked on his sudden laughter which made him sound more like a strangled dog. When the coughing stopped, he felt her hand under his neck helping him prop up slightly and the cup of water against his lips. He took small sips as she indicated and felt a little more alive then.

He said in a teasing tone, "Good to see you too Second."

Akiha sat down on the stool again, a small smile on her lips. "Likewise."

Her hair pulled up in a birds' nest and there were dark half moons under her eyes, but even in the dull lamp light hanging somewhere nearby, her eyes seemed to shine bright. It was something he had always found attractive in her.

"What happened?" He asked.

"You are a pain to keep alive, that's what." She smiled, "It's been a week since you were brought in. The alliance won. Your kids have come to see you a few times now. They're in better shape than you are. Most people are thanks to Tsunade-sama, who is comatose but stable."

Kakashi made an attempt to raise his arm to lay it over his eyes. It was painful to even twitch his fingers, so he opted for the next best thing, he turned his face away.

"You have been receiving a strong cocktail of antibiotics, muscle relaxants and sedatives. How you're awake, I have no clue." She pointed out, "Obito planted a nasty venom in you."

Looking up from the chart where she had been scribbling on while she talked, she said in a soft tone, "You were not supposed to make it through this time Hatake."

That bit of news did not surprise him, but he could get past that. What mattered now was that it was all over. The worse part was done and over. Rebuilding, mending, learning to live in an alliance and managing it, that would be the best part and he was still alive to see it. Letting out a slow breath, he blinked the tears away, and chuckled under his breath. He was too old, he realized, if such news could make him cry.

Kakashi felt her hand set on his right hand and gently pressed the other hand to his forehead. Warmth, gentle and soothing, spread through him. Kakashi kept his eyes closed, the heaviness in his chest slightly less than before. "You are out of the woods Tensai-kun." He heard her say close to his ear. "Sleep now and get well." With the comfort of her touch, he drifted back to sleep.

When he woke up again, Kakashi wanted to cough up whatever had died in his throat, again. He felt weak and disoriented.

"You're awake Kakashi, you ol' dog. Wait up. I'll get you fresh water."

Kakashi turned his head to the left and saw the green beast walk away with a water jug in hand. Blinking, he tried to get rid of the dryness of his eyes. Sore from head to toes, he had no idea how long he had been on his back but he had to move, to sit up.

Struggling to do so was how Guy found him.

"You can't stay put for a moment huh? That's why they pumped all those drugs in you." He snickered, setting the jug down and helping him out to lean on the wood wall. "Don't bother refusing, old friend. Anyone would need help after what you've gone through. You've been three weeks semi-unconscious."

"Weeks?" Kakashi croaked. Annoyed, he looked at the water jug.

"Yes." Guy handed him a paper cup. "Slowly. Akiha-chan gave everyone strict instructions for when you woke up."

"Akiha." Kakashi licked his lips, frowning at the fact that they were not chapped, and brought his fingers to them. "I thought she was an apparition."

"No." Guy sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "She joined the ranks from the start as senior medic."

"Anyhow...you had three broken ribs you ass, and still headed on to the main battle." Guy said in a reproaching tone. "You almost didn't make it."

"So she said." Kakashi sighed, rubbing his face, wincing at how sore every inch of his body felt. "Did they really have to keep me down so bad?"

Guy raised his hand to ward off the complaint. "You've been awfully active for a unconscious person. You went from stock still one week to chatter box in your sleep and when the sedatives wore off you would move around. The venom had to be extracted slowly, daily for two weeks. When you did the smallest movement it would continue to advance towards your heart."

"What was I talking about?" Kakashi frowned wondering what he could have said and suddenly it came to him.

He had been dreaming the whole time. Seeing Guy look away guiltily, he heard him mutter, "The others thought it was due to your lack of female company and too many of those books by Jiraiya-sama at first. Then you called out her name. Questions came up right away from your team. Who knew they were that gossipy."

_I did, _Kakashi thought morosely.

As an afterthought, Guy added, "I truly think she kept you immobilized and sedated to take vengeance on you some how."

"Most likely." Kakashi smirked imagining how annoyed she had to be. His had always dreamed vividly.

With a sigh, he said, "Old friend, could you call her? I really would like to know when I'm getting out of here."

Guy gave him an apologetic smile. "Akiha-chan left a week ago. She went back to the town she has been living at."

Before Kakashi could ask where that was, Guy added, "One of the Juubi's blasts cut close to it so the area is barely habitable. She's going to bring her family back to Konoha."

"Her family." Kakashi repeated, feeling older than thirty-two suddenly and more worn out than ever. Of course she would have one. They had both moved on, albeit in different ways.

Guy's firm hand on his shoulder that made him snap out of his quiet misery. "Look, she did not say it was a secret so I guess it's alright if I tell you." Guy then added, "After all no one wants _that _Kakashi back. You were truly a miserable fuck when she left Konoha."

"What are you going on about?" Kakashi had little patience right now, despite all his friend had done for him. The reminder of how he had dealt with that loss was unnecessary.

Guy smirked, "She's not married Kakashi. She adopted a baby girl. With the summons to the front line for all medics, she had to leave her with a friend who helps her out. Luckily they are safe and sound." He gave him a thumb up and usual confident grin. "She is bringing them back to Konoha so you will see her again."

Kakashi had not expected that at all. Suddenly, he felt as if his soul had come back to his body.

Guy laughed at him. "I see now why you wear that mask, man. You're so damn readable without it."

Kakashi laughed with him, shaking his head. "Too tired to keep up the poker face." Rubbing his face again, he muttered "Damn...I want out of here. Guy, find me anyone that can give me a time frame or I'll go crazy here."

Laughing still, Guy patted his shoulder. "Will do Kakashi." With a grin, he added. "I'll bring Sakura-chan here right away. She's only next door."

Before he could ask for anyone else, Guy left chuckling away. Kakashi swore under his breath but he could not stay annoyed long. Instead, he just promised to kick Guy's ass to hell and back next time he came up with another stupid challenge. Then he prepared himself for the interrogation that was sure to follow.

"Say, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto blinked, slightly blinded by the sun. "Weren't you told not to push it? Sakura-chan will chew your head off."

Kakashi lowered once more on his right hand while keeping perfect balance on the bench with his legs straight up into the air. It had been two months after his five week stay in between the field hospital and the village one.

Akiha had arrived to the village days before the end of his hospital stay and he had managed to talk to her as much as he could during her first visit to his room when she came back to work. She had kept it all very professional. The first thing she did was to do a check up and to sign his release. Sakura-chan was assigned to his follow ups right there and then, so he did not see her again in a doctor – patient setting. In fact, he had barely seen her.

Through third parties who seemed determined to keep him appraised, he heard what she was up to. Guy had helped her move in to a house in one of the new neighborhoods with a small family clinic attached to it. She had made a life as a family doctor and planned to continue doing so in the village. So she had no plans to leave again apparently.

During one of his follow up visits to the hospital Sakura, just like Guy, had gushed about the six months old baby Akiha had named Natsume. She had met her one day Akiha when they met by chance at a store. And with no compunction pointed out he really should go visit Chisawa-sensei cause it was plain pathetic to not do so. Someone really had to put a lid on that opinionated side of his star pupil, so he had told her not to be so nosy.

To which she laughed and grinned at him, "You're not getting any younger sensei! What do have to loose?"

Undeterred by his 'shut it' glare, Sakura added, "Who knew you liked older women Kakashi-sensei!" Chuckling, she did not stop. "Although now that I've seen you without your mask, you are the one who looks older."

Scribbling some notes on his chart, she went on. "I wonder what is her face care regimen?" Looking up from the paper and patting her face. "I should ask her next time. I could use some help."

Kakashi chuckled at the sudden way she had strayed from her nosiness. Getting up from his chair next to the desk, he set a hand on her pink head and said, "It's called flawless genes, brat. Her mother was a stunner too." And for petty revenge he rapped his knuckles on her head.

"Ow! No need to be mean!" She rubbed her head. "See you next week sensei."

Kakashi appreciated that everyone seemed to be concerned with his nonexistent love life, but short of telling them to back off, there was nothing that would stop them from talking about her to him or discussing them.

Once or twice he saw her on her own downtown and if her eyes met his, she would smile and wave and so would he, but he had not considered approaching her. She had kept her distance too. So Kakashi concentrated on returning to his former shape, aiding in the reconstruction of the village wherever he could, and at times sitting in at meetings as part of Tsunade-sama's council along with Shikamaru and Anko, especially when he was asked to give his input on Sasuke's and Obito's rehabilitation.

That had taken precedence on his list. The alliance had, after a lot of arguing, pardoned the Uchiha traitors and given the management of their sentence to Konoha. Naruto had lobbied the most for it and succeeded. Obito willingly subjected himself to having his chakra sealed, while Sasuke was permitted to remain as he was as a concession to Uchiha Itachi's life of service to Konoha. Both were currently in prison.

Kakashi pushed off the bench and landed on his feet without a hitch. He felt back to normal already but until Sakura said so he had to 'behave'. Sticking his hands in his pants' pockets, he walked over to Naruto. "Only if you tell her." He said, referring to Sakura giving him grief for not following instructions.

"What do you take me for?" Naruto huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Anyways, now that you're done, I'll treat you to dinner."

Kakashi quirked an eyebrow at that. "What have you done with the real Naruto?"

"Hey!" Naruto started walking towards the forest line. "I can afford to treat you to a meal now and then sensei! Besides, we need to talk about Sasuke's mates."

Kakashi went along with Naruto, discussing the two individuals from team Taka that had willingly given themselves up to Konoha, Juugo and Karin. His pupil was a great believer in second chances and was invested on giving those chances to everyone he could, including Obito.

The only time he stopped talking about them was to complain about not having ramen for supper.

Kakashi shrugged and kept walking past the ramen stand. "Sakura will chew your head off if you feed me that Naruto. I'm still on recovery in her books."

He slightly paled at that reminder and did not pursue the ramen idea. "You'd be in bed, wrapped up like a baby and drinking broth if it were up to her." Naruto exaggerated -a bit, but it was all in good fun. "Yakiniku then?"

In the end, Kakashi ended up paying for the meal since Naruto had forgotten to grab his wallet in his hurry to find him. The restaurant owner had offered to put it on a tab for Naruto, but Kakashi decided to extract a debt from Naruto instead. He would not accidentally mention to Sakura what he had been up to and they would be even. Somehow he had developed a healthy survival instinct when it came to his doctor, even if he would not admit it to any of them.

Kakashi paid up while Naruto stepped out of the restaurant first. Slouching slightly to go across the low restaurant door, he stepped out to find Naruto grinning away, poking the cheek of a drooling baby determined to put his finger in her mouth.

Akiha turned her face his way, noting the sudden presence of another person, and smiled at him. "Hey there." She nodded towards Naruto. "Did you ever teach your student not to bully small ones?"

"She seems to be enjoying it." Kakashi pointed out, smirking at the way the baby attached to her chest by a carrier kicked away happily as she caught Naruto's hand. The squeal she let out was nothing short of a victory cry.

"That she is." Akiha smiled at Naruto. "Thank you for picking up her chew toy Naruto and saving my hearing."

"Anytime Chisawa-sensei." Naruto said, leaning over to drop the little, drool soaked, happy faced worm in the bag Akiha held out for him with groceries.

"Well, Kakashi-sensei, I'll talk to you another time. Thanks for the meal!" Naruto grinned at him and saluted at him, before poking the baby one more time. "Bye sensei." And in a flash he was gone.

Kakashi would have rolled his eyes at how fast he had disappeared, if the baby had not taken offense to Naruto's sudden departure.

"Oh dear..." Akiha muttered and shifted one bag to the other hand to wrap an comforting arm around the baby.

_Her daughter, _Kakashi corrected himself silently as he took her bags from her hand. "Let me help."

She looked up gratefully with laughing green eyes as she cooed the crying baby. "There, there darling." She said, unfastening the baby from her pouch to bring her to her shoulder, and began walking away from the restaurant.

"I know right?" Akiha said to the baby as she patted her back. "How dare he break your heart like that?"

Kakashi walked behind them, watching and listening. The promise of revenge next time they met the _heart breaker_ made him chuckle. About ten minutes later, the wailing had come to an end with heavy lidded eyes and a yawn.

"Hmm, yes." Akiha giggled as the baby grabbed a handful of her hair, making herself comfortable on the shoulder. "I figured you would crash soon silly girl."

As if remembering him suddenly, she stopped and turned to him, speaking in a soft voice. "I'm sorry Hatake. I can take the bags now." She outstretched the hand she had been patting the baby's back with towards him.

Kakashi gave her hand an annoyed look before nodding forward. "Keep walking Second."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but the hand returned to rubbing the baby's back. They walked in silence down the busy street. As night fell, they left behind the noise downtown and walked down the quieter neighborhood street, except for the occasional kids running home. He knew his time was up when he saw the sign for the clinic only a few houses down.

Kakashi racked his brain for something to say, anything to hold on to this moment, but he did not want to force her to be around him. After all, they had both kept their distance from each other until now.

Akiha stopped at the gate to the house and opened it, but stopped from going through. She turned her face to him and asked softly as to not disturb her child, "Would you like to come in?"

He did not answer right away, so she added, "That is, if you're not busy."

"I'm not." He said in a low voice. "I would like to."

Nodding, she went ahead.

Taking a deep breath, he closed the gate behind him and followed her in. She was no where in sight, so he took off his sandals and walked down the hallway. He found her setting the baby down in a frilly bassinet on the floor next to the table. She stood up and pulled on the string for the ceiling fan.

"Would you like some tea?" She asked, turning towards the kitchen next door, unsnapping the contraption at her back.

He followed her in and set the bags on the kitchen counter next to the stove. Leaning against it, he watched her fill up the kettle and bring it over to the stove. The domesticity of it all was foreign to him and at the same time, it felt right to see her like that.

"Thank you for helping me out." She said, keeping her voice low. "I'd invite you to dinner but I guess you already ate."

"Not really." He lied right away.

Akiha chuckled, shaking her head, "You're a terrible liar." Taking a pair of teacups from the covert, she asked, "How are you doing? Have you healed properly?"

"I am fine." He said, taking a seat across her when she sat down at the kitchen table. "I didn't get a chance to thank you for all you did."

"I could do no less. I'm just glad you made it through." Akiha smiled, crossing her arms on the table. "How is Obito-kun? Besides the official announcement, I have not heard more of him."

"He is healthier physically." Kakashi said, glad for the middle ground. "He talks very little but then, he has a lot in his mind to conciliate with." He did not mention their visit to Rin's grave or how Obito had broken apart as he apologized for everything. It was a very raw moment for both of them.

Akiha nodded. "I imagine he does."

The kettle whistled right then so silence fell between them while she brought out a glass teapot and added the dry leaves to the basket.

While she poured the water, he said, "It's odd seeing you like this."

She looked up and smiled, "Like what?" Turning to the stove again, she set the kettle down.

"Last time we had an actual conversation you were determined to be out on the field." He said, "We met again in a similar situation. We never had a domestic stage you could say."

Setting down a plate with senbei crackers, she sat down again and poured his cup first. "No, we did not. I guess this would seem out of place to you."

She set down the teapot, smiling at him. "I did remain as a field medic for several years after. A close call with death on a mission made me decide to leave it behind and I was assigned to a small clinic in a the village neighboring the Land of Waves."

She smiled at his surprise, "I left before the Naruto Bridge was built though. It's a pity. I would have liked to meet your students back then." Taking the cup in her hands, she blew at the brew before taking a careful sip.

"They would have interrogated you mercilessly." He smirked at the look she gave him.

"It would have been easier to fend them off at that age." She chuckled, "Haruno-san was quite persistent."

"What did you tell them?" He was curious as to how she had handled the interrogation.

She laughed, "That it was none of their business, but when she didn't get an answer from me, she turned to Guy."

"So I owe him all the pestering I've been receiving from Sakura." He shook his head, "I should have known."

"Have your kids been giving you a hard time?" She grinned at him. "Poor you."

"They mean well, most of the time." Lowering his mask, he took a sip from his cup and did not pull it back up. "So I heard you adopted Natsume?"

At the mention of her daughter, her green eyes seemed to glow with bliss. "Yes. I've never been happier I'd say."

Her smile waned slightly as she continued, "Sadly her birth mother passed away during childbirth. She arrived alone to town only months before birth and she never shared the father's name, so no one claimed the child. I waited a month before officially adopting her"

"But enough about me." She said, waving her hand at him. "Tell me about you?"

"Guy the fishwife did not fill you in on my every movement for the past thirteen years?" He asked with a smirk.

Akiha laughed, "He attempted to, but I told him I'd ask you myself when you were better."

Kakashi smiled and began by talking about his students, the closest he had to a family. They laughed together at the earlier antics of team seven and he told her about all the struggles they had gone through during and after their time as a team.

The tea cups were empty and the crackers almost gone when the sudden cry coming from the living room interrupted their chap.

"Break time is over." Akiha jumped to her feet and hurried to the other room.

"I best get get going." Kakashi said, following her to the other room.

Akiha turned to him with the baby cradled in her arms. "Thank you for helping me out again."

Unable to help himself, he covered the back of her neck with one hand and kissed her forehead. "Anything, anytime Second." Before he did something stupid like push his luck, he pulled the mask over and stepped away from her.

When he was sitting at the entrance, strapping his sandals up, she stepped out of the room. "Kakashi, did anyone tell you?" At his lost look, she added, "That you flat lined twice on that first week. Whenever I thought you were in the clear, the venom would reappear."

Kakashi had heard from Sakura. She had been surprised that Chisawa-sensei had not mentioned it to him on the final check-up, if not to inform him at least to scare him into behaving as she was attempting to do. Sakura had not wasted time during their first appointment to get into the details of his condition. It had been necessary to keep him nearly comatose.

In the meantime, Akiha had worked to keep his vitals stable while Sakura managed to gather her strength after spending it on Naruto and Tsunade-sama, who despite the official statement, had indeed pushed herself beyond her limit. It had taken Sakura almost four days to recover her chakra levels and to help out with the extraction of the poison.

"Guy told me that makes three times now." She added, as she swayed slowly to keep the baby in her arms calm.

Kakashi turned away, staring at the closed door for a moment. Making his decision, he unstrapped the sandals and stepped back onto the hallway. "Yes," He said stopping before her. "That makes three times I've died for those who are counting."

"You are not?" She gave him a reproachful look.

Kakashi smirked, pulling off his head band out of the way so he could stare at her with both eyes. "I'm counting the times I've been given one more chance."

Staring down at the Konoha insignia on the headband plate he added. "You know the weight of this Akiha."

She nodded, "I can only imagine at how it feels to you though." She added, staring at it too. "I was free to choose."

"I have been on the brink of choosing to lead a different life or death Akiha." He smirked, remembering that each time, she had appeared to him. "The first time I got reprimanded for not taking good care of myself while in the hospital when I was a strong asset to Konoha and needed for who and what I could be beyond that."

"What a meddlesome person." She said, shaking her head.

"That she certainly was." Kakashi chuckled, reaching out to caress her cheek with the back of his hand. "I have no one waiting for me at home Second. Never have. Let's talk."

Akiha nodded slightly, looking down at her daughter who was sucking her thumb like there was no tomorrow. "I have to take care of her."

"I won't go if you don't want me to." He smiled at the picture they made. Even if she wanted him to go, he would find a way to talk her out of it, but offering was the proper thing to do.

Turning away, she said softly, "Make yourself at home." And walked down the hallway to the room at the end, closing the door behind her.

Kakashi walked back to the living room and took a look at the wall peg where the baby's bag and carrier hung. The other peg had a white coat with the red cross band stitched on an arm. Only two people in that home. Without a second though, he hung his headband from the peg with her medic coat. Unsnapping his kunai holder at his left thigh, he hung that too by the strap. He was on downtime but it did not keep him from training.

Their voices traveled down the hallway, but he could not make out what Akiha was saying. Unable to settle down, he paced the small space of the room. He wasn't sure how long it had been, but they reappeared -Akiha looking a little more tired and the baby looking refreshed in her bedtime getup.

"Sorry." Akiha said as she knelt before the bassinet, trying to pry the little hands away from her hair. "Reiko keeps telling me to stick to the schedule she's made up for Sume-chan." Sighing, she gave the baby a stern look. "Darling, you have to let go if you want your bottle."

The battle of the stares and hair pulling lasted by his calculations, not even a minute. The end result had Akiha sighing again and walking into the kitchen with the victor in her arms. Kakashi kept any comments to himself as he followed them.

When Akiha began pulling out the things she needed, he came up to her and rubbed her back. "I'll hold her if that helps."

Akiha looked at him as if he had grown another head and then down to Natsume who had a tight grip on a strand of her hair with one hand and a forgotten chew toy on the other. "You have to free my hair first." She said with some hope in her voice.

Chuckling at the big eyed stares he was getting, he pulled her hair out of the chubby hand gently. Once released, Akiha changed her grip on her and offered the frowning baby at him. "You've held a baby before?"

"Kurenai asked the same thing." He laughed, taking the baby with mutinous eyes from her hands and setting her against his chest. "Did you know she has a boy? Asuma's."

Just as Natsume started pouting and pushing away from him, he grabbed a strand of Akiha's hair and tickled her cheek with it. The chubby hand grabbed onto it like a safety blanket while studying him.

"Kurenai and Asuma?" Akiha said in surprise, adding water from the kettle to the powder in a bottle. "Never imagined that. Asuma had a different type back then."

"Funny what time does." He rubbed Natsume's back the way he had seen Akiha do and she gave in, settling her head on his shoulder while pulling on Akiha's hair, chew toy in her mouth.

"Ready." She said, turning back to him and smiling as she took Natsume from his arms. "Here you go little sloth." She cradled Natsume in an arm while holding the bottle for her which she latched on to right away, chew toy forgotten on her chest.

Kakashi pulled a chair at the table and she muttered her thanks as she sat down. They remained in silence while the baby drank her fill other than the occasional coo from Akiha towards Natsume. After burping her, Akiha asked him to hold her while she cleaned up if he didn't mind.

"Chores piled up." She said with a apologetic smile, "I really want to talk to you uninterrupted but I think I'm need to take advantage of you right now."

Kakashi had been with them only a few hours but he was glad to feel like he could belong there. Gladly, he took the baby who seemed less concerned about whose arms she was in now that she was fed. With a chuckle, he said "Go on. We'll get along."

He knew that she probably needed some time to herself to think about why she had let him stay longer or what to do about it. And spending time with a four month old girl seemed less daunting than what their conversation later might bring up.

Taking her into the living room, obviously her playroom too, he had no trouble spotting something to entertain her with. It all seemed so normal -right, that it made his chest hurt with the realization of how badly he had wanted this when he had thought of her throughout the years. The idea of her having it with someone else had hurt, but with time he had learned to change the way he thought of Akiha. He wanted her to be happy, whichever way she could possibly be.

Akiha laughed at him when he brought a giggling Natsume at arms length kicking chubby legs. "Your love has come to an end?"

"Not at all." He scrunched his nose, "But I have no idea what to do in this area."

Akiha laughed all the way out the room with a squealing baby. When she returned, he didn't even ask, simply took her from her arms again and settled on the floor with a picture book at hand. It was only a matter of minutes for the little one to be asleep again. The nickname of sloth was indeed suitable to her.

"Thank you Kakashi." Akiha whispered as she took the baby from his arms. "Give me a moment."

Kakashi watched them go into the room they obviously shared. He decided to open the garden sliding doors now that the baby was not around to catch a chill with the slight drop of temperature. Sitting down, he propped on foot on the edge of the walkway and waited. When she came back, she sat down next to him, smoothing the skirt of her summer dress.

"I bet that's not how you were planning to spend your evening." Akiha said softly. "Thank you for helping me out. Even with my friend Reiko watching her while I work, it is not easy."

"No need to thank me." Kakashi said, "I want to be here."

When she did not reply to that, he spoke again. "I always thought that if I ever saw you again you would be married and with at least three children in tow like a mother hen with chicks."

Akiha laughed at the picture he described. "I thought so too. But after a few relationships I figured I was better off on my own. I had a knack for choosing men who wanted to control me more than love me."

She asked, "What about you? I thought by now there would be one or two more silver haired geniuses out and about."

"I never sought out that path." Kakashi said, "I never felt as strongly for another woman as I did for you."

Akiha looked away and with a self depreciating scoff, she said. "It makes no sense. We were hardly good for each other."

"We were dysfunctional Second. Children turned into adults before their time." He took her hand in his and gave in a squeeze.

She looked at their hands clasped together with longing but didn't pull away or say a word. It encouraged him to say what he had not properly said before all those years ago. All the things he had come to understand with time.

"You know, whenever I saw you come back with a minor wound or exhausted from a mission, I wanted to keep you away from the horror out there."

Turning his face a way, he said, "I grew used to a life of war. I could kill and know it was my duty and live with it. I did not want you to face someone like me one day."

"Until Obito, Rin and sensei, I had not cared for anyone besides my parents." Letting go of her hand, he fixed his sitting position so his right leg was bent behind her. It brought him as close as he could get to her and it made her turn sideways to face him.

Taking her hand again and letting them rest on her lap, he went on. "When I met you I had lost most of them. After knowing you I lost the two left."

Kakashi frowned, "Without realizing it, I grew attached to you, the one person I was intrigued by but saw so sporadically that I soaked in every minute, every word, every touch."

"You, Akiha...I chose you." Squeezing her hand once more, he added. "The fear of loosing you was something the child I was deep down could not deal with."

"Our time was short but what I found with you what I could not find anywhere else. We were good for each other, I firmly believe so." He added when she looked back at him. "We were just too young to see it and to appreciate it."

Akiha let out a breath slowly, blinking the tears that had welled up in her eyes.

"But you know all that already, don't you?" Kakashi grabbed a strand of her hair with his free hand. "Despite the way we parted, there were no hard feelings between us."

Akiha smiled, saying softly, "We understood each other too well." Her free hand went up to his face and touched the scar on his left eye. "But we were too immature to take care of something so fragile."

Pulling down his mask, Kakashi pressed his lips to her palm. "Thirteen years is long enough, don't you think Second?"

Wrinkling her nose at the nickname, she laughed softly. "I knew with time I'd loose my senses when it came to you. I can't even get annoyed at that name anymore. In fact I kind of missed it."

Grinning, he leaned closer to her. "I'm sure we'll find something else to spat over and make up." Gently sucking on her lower lip he added, "If not, you can always pretend it annoys you."

"Idiot." She chuckled, pulling gently on the neck of his shirt. "Stop talking and kiss me Hatake."

"Are you sure?" He asked with a teasing grin before kissing the corner of her mouth. "Don't want to know why I call you that?"

"Tell me another day." She whispered, pressing her lips to his.

Kakashi kissed her tenderly, wrapping his arms around her waist just as hers wrapped around his neck. They savored the moment, getting to know each other again slowly. After all, they had the rest of their lives together.

* * *

_**Thirty years later...**_

Laughter rang about the Hatake household. Friends and family had gathered to celebrate the couple's thirtieth wedding anniversary. Natsume, Chizuru, and Akihana had made a big deal about properly celebrating that day, much to her mother's complaints. She only gave in when she extracted a promise of all of them to clean up after and leave her house spotless. They had promised to take care of every single detail from start to finish.

It was a large gathering alone with the Hatake brood, but they added on to it their parent's closest friends, the original team seven and their brood, and the other two sets of pupils their father had. All in all, it was more people than the house they had built for the growing family could handle.

Akihana, caught in a tug war with her younger nephew with her silver hair, turned onto her brother. "Everyone is here now I think. Where's Natsume? I could use some help getting this brat off me."

Kakeru laughed at his elder sister's predicament. He was the youngest at fifteen, without a care in the world. "I have no clue. I got roped into dealing with the other brats." And took off after a the cluster of black haired devils chasing their older cousin with streamers. "Hey you! Leave Erika alone boys!"

"Kakeru-niisan!" cried out the silver haired, eight year old as she ran towards him.

"Has anyone seen mom and dad?" Natsume asked as she stepped out to the yard where the tables had been set up and everyone had gotten comfortable chatting and eating away.

"You lost them?" Chizuru asked, walking out with a tray of finger food for the kids. "Erika, stop clinging to your uncle pretending to be upset and get that little gang of monkeys to the table!" She turned stern green eyes to Kakeru, who just grinned at her. "Stop coddling her and help out brat."

"Naruto-niisan," Natsume put a hand on his shoulder, "I saw you talking to dad last. Do you know where he went?"

"I have no clue Sume-chan." He looked at his wife. "Did you notice where he went Hinata-chan?"

Hinata shook her head, answering in her usual soft tone. "No. Not really."

"Lost in the road of life most likely Rokudaime-sama." Mitsuru, one of Kakashi's pupils, helpfully added to the conversation with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Everyone around him chuckled.

"Have you thought of searching one of their usual places Natsume?" Asuma offered from the other end of the table.

"Darling, I have no time to check every single one of their hideouts." Natsume gave him an annoyed glare. "How about you help me out? You can get to Shodaime faster than I. Chohaku-kun, could you check the river spot?" Turning around to yell at her brother, "Kakeru! Head on out to the clearing will you?"

"You go nee-san!" Kakeru gave her a disgusted look. "I'm scarred for life thanks to you sending me over there last time!"

Natsume rolled her eyes and yelled back. "Get over it and go!"

The nature of the conversation made everyone laugh, knowing well what Kakashi and Akiha were usually up to when they disappeared like that. Leading a healthy, happy life had a lot to do with it.

"I take offense." Akiha smirked as she watched her little captain order everyone around from the roof of their house.

She was the short one of the brood, the twins and Kakeru towered over her, but she ruled them all with an iron hand. "The way they talk is as if we were going at it like rabbits. When did we loose the right to have sex? Was it at fifty?"

"I think it's when Kakeru was born wasn't it? Natsume ordered us not to have anymore that day I think." Kakashi chuckled and planted a kiss on the side of her head. "We have become rather infamous. Can't blame them love."

"Hmmm...How long do you think it will take them to realize where we are?" She asked, patting his knee.

"Obito and Reiko spotted us long ago." Kakashi nodded towards their friends, who seemed to be enjoying the moment.

"We really have to find another place." Akiha muttered. "I could use some peace and quiet."

"You're such a grouch Second." Kakashi rubbed her back, chuckling. "But if you insist, you know I live to please you."

Akiha smiled at him. "You know...I never thought to ask again why you decided on that nickname."

"Thirty years later...you sure you want an answer to that?" Kakashi grinned. "Not sure I want to answer actually. It might get in trouble."

"I figure it's better than waiting til the next life." Akiha reached over to wrap a finger on his shoulder length hair. "So?"

"You had mentioned being in second grade with me. When we met again I did consider calling you Midori since I didn't know anything about you besides being a meddling volunteer, but I loved your green eyes from the start." He said with a chuckle. "But Second had a better ring to it."

Akiha scoffed, smacking him on his chest. "And they call you a genius."

"So do you. And you know well I am." Kakashi laughed, bringing her closer with a hand at her neck. Kissing her neck at the opposite side he whispered, "Now about that other place..."

"Oh geez!" Kakeru said, disgusted from the yard. "You guys know I like sitting there at night! Dad just leave mom alone already! Don't look Erika-chan!"

Kakashi and Akiha laughed. To traumatize their son more, Kakashi kissed her slowly, which only earned them cheering from their friends and two in-laws, and groans from their children.

"I don't say it enough I think. Thank you Second." Kakashi kissed her forehead and then her hand. "For all the love you've given me."

"It goes both ways Tensai-kun." She smiled and tugged on the lapel of his white hakama, placing a kiss on his cheek. "Now let's head down before Natsume burns us into cinders."

Kakashi picked her up in his arms and jumped off with ease. Letting her down, he took her hand and led her over to the place assigned to them. For the rest of the evening, he behaved only because Akiha asked it -not because their children demanded it, and she promised to make it worth his time. There was an advantage after all to leading a shinobi life after all.

Toasting to their love and life together, they prayed for more years together, in this life and the next one.

_**The End.**_

* * *

**Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed this fic. Every now and then I miss writing about my favorite characters and end up revisiting them. This story was originally written soon after Don't Let Go from 2012, -my first KakashixOC fic. But since it felt it too rushed back then, I let go of it for almost a year. This one was rewritten and revised in five days. I had to get it out of my system prior to NanoWrimo 2013 or I would spend a whole month ignoring the challenge and writing a longer fic. I think it came out better than I had originally intended so I hope you all forgive my fixation with Kakashi and his love life.

Until next time. Thanks for reading. Cheers! :) _ - Shihori._


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