Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Gentle Lesson: The Restoration of the Hatake ❯ Three Things ( Chapter 10 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

I don't own Naruto… just as well, perhaps…

Warning: Violence, Kakashi/OC, male/male pairing

Yukio is an important figure to this fic - if you have issues, read my comments to Vicious and Inquisitive and you'll get the idea. If you don't like male/male pairing, then I suggest you back away veerrrryyyy slowly.

This IS a Kakashi/Sakura fic but it's going to take time, as all good relationships must.

Gentle Lesson: The Restoration of the Hatake

Chapter 10: One Foot Forward

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then, face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” I Corintians 13:12

Before he knew it, he could see his reflection in the darkened glass and the moon over-imposed on the still mirror of Kakashi's face. He saw in the mirror - as it rushed to his face - in the fragile mirror - a lost little boy - and then, there was dark.

Yukio sat up and rubbing his hand roughly down over his face, sighed.

Kakashi.

It had been so long since he had let his guard down that much. Even worse… to take such a chakra-laden punch to the jaw…

He shook his head and then smiled crookedly.

He deserved this - all of this. After all, what else did Konoha have to offer? What else could he give?

He remembered the dark - it wasn't unconsciousness - no - that would be bliss. It was the closed face of Kakashi when he pulled up his mask.

It is the shutting of a door, I can't break.

Kakashi.

Don't go where I can't follow.

Kakashi lay back on the rough shingles of his apartment complex's roof. He savored the moment - the silence, the dim light of the moon, the scraping feel of the shingles against his exposed back, the stirring of the warm wind which ran invisible fingers through his hair. He shut his eyes and inhaled.

If he turned his head, he knew that the vista of Konoha would be there to greet him, to remind him what he was fighting for. The large police quarters. The imposing Academy and adjoining mission room and the bright red of the new Hokage office. The main street with all the shops lined down it - somewhere the Ichiraku Ramen shop snuggled - how long has it been since I've tasted the ramen?

Green trees, blooming flowers, the lonely complexes and family clan ghettos (one belonged to him) and the great walls with the huge wooden doors overshadowed by the watchtowers.

It was in moments like these that he remembered who he was.

One, Hatake Kakashi, tensai ninja, better known as the Copy-nin. One time Jounin sensei. He tested the thought out - as carefully as a hunter walking on thin ice - underneath the fragile frozen water, the river bubbled and rushed - waiting for a chance to break free. Waiting for spring. Waiting for chaos.

With a quick mental motion he moved the thoughts on. It wouldn't do to get too emotional over something so insignificant.

But as he recollected his previous mission and the next one he was about to embark on (high profile bodyguard mission with Yukio), he wondered in what way his on/off teammate - friend, seemed too ludicrous to even consider - would try to needle him again.

There had been that one moment -

Face it head on, Kakashi, there's no denying it -

There had been that moment of weakness, and Yukio had stepped in. His fingers had burned like coal - as if they were able to cleanse and reduce to ashes all of those fears, flaws and failures. Yukio had burned and hurt.

Damn the bastard. I'm never letting him into my bed again.

It had been a mistake though - to let him get that far. Since then, Yukio had been a pain in the ass - always getting in between Kakashi and his thoughts, Kakashi and his books, Kakashi and his memories.

Although -

Kakashi hated Yukio for that, even now, as he reveled in the peace, his body tensed at the thought of having to cope with Yukio and his advances for more than a week on end.

Although -

He wondered what his two young protégés would think: Makoto and Ichiro. It was partially his fault there - he hardly spent anytime with the young men, Yukio was more charismatic and caring, that way. The ANBU had chosen well when they picked Yukio as the honorary newbie guide to ANBU life.

Although…

I haveto admit Irelied on the annoying prick as well.

Damn the man!

Kakashi turned his head away quickly at the thought - at the image of Yukio's face as they had been dragged apart the night before.

It had been full of fury - and something else, that Kakashi could not - would not - name.

What had he seen in me to act like that?

Even as he watched the sky lighten, he wondered.

He turned his head and gasped.

On the roof was a girl-child. She had blue lips and a soft smile.

She smiled, eyes crinkling shut.

“What the hell are you doing up here?”

“Want to play?”

“What -“

She turned and jumped off the roof and Kakashi flew after her.

Kakashi tried to pull on brakes - gouging down the wall with chakra strengthened fingers - but he couldn't stop it in time - the ground rose up to meet him - the girl had disappeared.

What the -

He welcomed the dark. Unconsciousness at least meant the absence of nightmares.

After a couple of seconds, he heard his name called - a very familiar voice - and he looked up into a pair of concerned grey-black eyes beside familiar green-blue ones. White and yellow. Fang and Flash. He closed his eyes again.

What have I done to deserve this? Why did they have to come now?

Then another part of him screamed, “No! No! This is only a figment of your imagination! You're psychotic! Nuts! Shut it off now!”

Kneeling there in the alley, Kakashi felt that burden coming down on him even more - whatever it was - his hands clenched through his wild hair as he shook his head in desperation.

“Kakashi! Are you alright?”

“What the hell is wrong? What happened to you?”

“You're not real! Get away from me!”

Kakashi looked up.

“Kakashi! We've got to tell you something!”

“What's up with your hands? Did you scrape them on something?”

Time and space stopped - all he could hear was his rough panting as he attempted to stand - and he stared down at his hands - red with (his own?) blood.

“I'm SORRY! Leave me alone! Just leave me alone! I'm sorry!”

Totally incoherent, he ran away as fast as he could, praying that those ghosts weren't just another part of him. He ran, ignoring the cuts to his bared feet and the chilling sweat on his back. Even as he ran, his mind scurried - where could he run to?

Where can I run to when I have lost my home?

Home.

“Jiraiya… what…”

Tsunade rolled over and blearily focused on her alarm clock - the glow in the dark letters changed. 4:45. A.M.
“Tsunade…”

His voice was deadly serious.

“What? What's wrong?”

“Look… follow me…”

“Just let me change…”

Fifteen minutes later, Jiraiya led her in the near dark to the eastern part of town.

She stared at it and raised an eyebrow.

“What the hell?”

“It's almost as if someone clawed their way down the side of the building.”

“How did - how did you notice this?”

“I was walking home from -“

“From her place?”

“That's beside the point…”

“I don't want to hear about that woman!”

“But I wasn't the one who brought her up!”

“Whatever, tell me!”

“I heard a yell - someone was - I can't describe it… I thought maybe there had been an intruder - after that whole fiasco with Hayate just before the old geezer died and then - we lost that other Nara woman in the war… anyway - I came here and all I found was this…”

“This is disturbing. I need info right now!”

“It seems there's blood right in the grooves.”

“So we're looking for a guy with a lot of blood on his hands.”

“Yeah.”

“Let's look then!”

“What about calling some ANBU out?”

“Ch. If I can't find an intruder in my own village, what kind of a kage am I?”

“You're asking me?”

“Can you ever be serious?”

“What? I can do serious. Watch me do serious - hey! Where are you going?”

“You know, guys,” Sakura sighed as she carefully showed her pass to the Chuunin on duty. “If you guys paid more attention to things and actually listened to Tsunade's instructions, we wouldn't be so confused during our missions. You get what I'm saying?”

“Sakura, I have no idea what you're talking about,” Sasuke sniffed. “I didn't start anything this time and you know it. Blame the idiot.”

“IDIOT? You call me idiot when you're the one who lost us?”

“BOYS!!!!”

The young shinobi, catching sight of her “it's-5:00-in-the-morning-don't-mess-with-me” glare, subsided.

“All I'm saying,” Sakura said. “Is that we need to be more on top of our game - if we aren't, how are we going to be able to complete simple things - like - say - finding our sensei? Seriously.”

“She's got a point,” Naruto sighed. “Why does she always have a point?”

“It's because I'm a girl and I know these things.”

“A girl? Riiiiight!”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“Naruto. Stop while you're still able to…”

Sasuke paused.

“You have a plan, Sakura?”

“Well… we can't expect to help sensei if we don't know him… so I thought maybe we could do some research…”

“Research?” Naruto asked. “Eh?”

“Some things never change,” sighed Sasuke.

“Yeah…”

“What ARE you guys SAYING???!!!!”

“Nothing, nothing, all I'm saying is that we should get our act together and use our spare time wisely.”

“Where would we start our research?” asked Naruto.

“I'd suggest medical records, since that's the easiest place I can start in.”

“It's a good idea,” Sasuke nodded. “But - I need rest first… perhaps later on today - around noon?”

“Sure! We'll meet at the bridge…”

“As always!”

Naruto jumped away and headed to his apartment. Already the rest of the day was looking better. Not for the first time did he thank the gods for putting such a smart beauty - especially beauty - on his team. He skidded to a stop when he saw Jiraiya and Tsunade approach him.

“What're you doing up?” the Kage asked, her blonde brows knitting together.

“Just got back from the mission…”

“This late?”

“It's all Sasuke's fault!”

“Sure,” Tsunade said. Her expression deepened into a harder frown. “Hey, you see a strange person running around?”

“Nooo… why - do you need help finding somebody?”

“No. Not really, Naruto.” Jiraiya smiled. “You get some sleep - I need to talk to you later on about a jutsu I found…”

“Okay. Sure! I'll see you later then!”

Naruto jumped away.

What're they so tense about? Maybe… maybe they're just coming back from a date!!!

Naruto stifled giggles and getting himself inside his apartment, allowed himself a long laugh.

What a pair! They think they can fool me!

“We'll have to split up,” Tsunade sighed. “You take the west part of town - I'll take the east.”

“Let's regroup in two hours.”

“Fine. If you find something, try to be easy on him… We want him alive.”

Jumping soundlessly from roof to roof to wall to fence, Jiraiya shivered. He always hated the west end of town - the empty mansions, the manors, quiet complexes. Some of them were still inhabited - the Akimichi, the Nara, the Yamanake, the Inuzuka, the Hyuuga - but there were a few which just seemed -

Maybe it's because I never lived in such great surroundings myself. A boy like me would never be part of something like that.

But even so - it's not like it made life for them any easier.

The Uchiha complex was entirely shut down since Sasuke's departure (and return). Around it, the air seemed drenched with sorrow, pain, fury and fear. It smelled of massacre and hate.

Is it just my nerves?

The abandonment of the Morino complex also made Jiraiya halt. It had that air of sorrow and loneliness - as if it were a boy who had been forgotten during a hide and seek game. That was another great clan who would never be reborn - not unless Ibiki got that lover of his with child. Highly unlikely. Men like him knew, more than anyone else, what kind of hell a ninja's child is born into.

And then there was -

Jiraiya paused.

He hated this one because it reminded him of the good days. The old days.

“Jiji! Get over here you pervert - what the hell are you - GAAACK!!! Get away from there, BAKA!!!”

“Heeeeyyy!!! Give that back, no-breast girl!”

“STOP CALLING ME THAT!!! YOU'RE SO DEAD!”

“Guys.”

“Hahahaha!!!”

“Now, here. Stop it, you people embarrass me…” A light voice suddenly spoke up and Tsunade felt herself lose grip of Jiraiya's spyglass. “Oro-kun, why couldn't you just stop it?”

“Him? Like he could stop me!” Jiraiya laughed, slinging his arm around his close friend's shoulders. “Right, Saku-kun!”

“What? You're in love?” giggled Tsunade.

To her mind, the two white-haired tensai ninja looked good together…

Sigh…

Jiraiya pulled away and glared. “It's just like you to spoil the mood, hag.”

“I'm not a hag!”

“Guys.”

“Now, now! How about getting some sake! I think the pub just opened!” The Hatake patted Tsunade on the shoulder, and she gave him a little smile.

Jiraiya sniffed.

“Hmmm… okay… it's not like I'm going to find any inspiration now - what with the snake bastard and the breastless girl are here… sounds like a plan. Lead the way!”

“Sakumo…” growled Tsunade.

The white-haired prodigy smiled. “Now, now… we all know that Jiraiya is just teasing. Most immature shinobi tease with cruelty to hide their emotions, right?”

“SAKUMO!!!”

Tsunade giggled.

“You guys!”

Orochimaru wrinkled his pale nose - his black eyebrows knotting together - he turned away and stalked off to find his sensei. He hated them all.

Especially the happy light in Jiraiya and Sakumo - and the warmth in Tsunade.

He'd show them.

But those weren't the only memories….

“Jiraiya! Wish me luck! Isn't she beautiful?”

“Hey! You heard, Jiji-san? I'm going to be having a baby! Sake's on the house!”

“It's a boy!”

“Heh! Isn't he smart? He's a genius! As a Hatake should be! Kakashi. Our hope. Our joy. Our love.”

“You're getting sappy on me, old man.”

“Nah. Just you wait until you get a son. He's our only hope. I'll be proud of him forever.”
“Even if he doesn't know his right hand from his left?”

Sakumo laughed.

“Even then.”

“He's a genius, alright - a genius to restore our clan! And I've found something even better for the Hatake!!! You watch! I know it's an honor to take a shine off the Sanin but this - this will be an accomplishment for the Hatake alone!”

Sakumo.

Kakashi.

He could hear Genma's voice in his head.

Kakashi can summon a wolf beast.

Is this what you wanted for him, Sakumo?

Jiraiya stared down at the empty dojo, the wild garden, the worn down houses.

Is this what you wanted? I don't think so. You wanted the best for him, old friend.

As he stood there, reveling in the sweet smell of the blue flowers spread out below, Jiraiya sighed - and then stiffened. Along with the sweet smell was something sticky and metallic - iron in blood.

Jumping down lightly, he ran through the garden and around the back of the dojo, where another wilderness lay.

They always loved the land - found peace in the land.

He stopped.

It was Kakashi.

At least - the grey hair looked like the Kakashi. And the thin muscular - lithe - body. But…

The tenseness, the waves of panicked chakra, the hands buried deeply - claw-like into the earth - weren't Kakashi.

He approached the shinobi carefully. After all, it was from here that the blood originated.

Goodness knows what happened. It's him… but not him… ANBU….

“Kakashi.”

The body grew tenser. Jiraiya stopped.

There was a silence.

Jiraiya debated internally on summoning a frog to get Tsunade. But just the sound of a twig breaking under his feet made the brat jumpy. A frog was out of the question. So was Tsunade.

“It's me,” he said as softly as he knew how. “Jiraiya.”

“What?”

What.

It sounded to so dead. Not a surprised `what' - but a deadly one.

Jiraiya tensed - but not quickly enough.

The next second, he felt a hard hand on his wrist and a fist - faster than the eye could track - coming towards him. All he saw was white chakra and then black.

As the dust settled, Kakashi only vaguely noticed the new hole in the shed - where the intruder lay - he didn't even want to know who it was. Part of him wanted it to be Yukio. But it couldn't be.

He knew Yukio's chakra.

Whatever.

He needed to get home. Away from here. The very air here seemed so stale as to choke him. Just as he turned away, hands shaking, heart racing, he heard a small cough.

And then, warmth - it was that heat again - and for a moment…

No, for longer.

He melted into it.

“It's okay… it's going to be alright.”

“I - what did I do?”

“I don't know… but it doesn't matter… you knocked out a Sannin. That's pretty good. But…”

“Sannin?”

“Yeah… Jiraiya-sama.”

“Gods. What have I -“

“Shhh… it's fine. It's going to be okay… C'mon, let's hang for the night.”

Kakashi fell asleep to the sound of Yukio's gentle voice.

“Kakashi's records?” asked Tsunade. “Have you completed your missions?”

“Yes, Tsunade-sama. For today.”

“Hmmm… well… I really shouldn't….”

“Why not?”

“Naruto, be quiet. It's a matter of privacy.”

“Tsunade-sama,” Sasuke put in. “If we are to save him and retrieve him, then we'll need to know more about him.”

“For ourselves,” agreed Sakura.

“Yeah,” Naruto nodded, trying to look like he knew what was going on.

Tsunade sighed and propped her head onto her folded hands.

Next to no sleep - and then Jiraiya's troubling news.

She could hear still hear her comrade talking, his eyes so serious that she felt scared.

“He's strong. Stronger than before. I took quite a hit to the jaw. And he showed no remorse.”

“How did you figure that?”

“He left me there.”

“Jiji… you should have come to get me…”

“He was in a state…”

“I see.”

“We need to get him out.”

“How?”

“I don't know… but if we don't get him out - he'll end up doing something - and then we'll lose a good ninja.”

“Sure. Just one more thing to worry about.”

“There's that treaty with Rock, right?”

“Yeah… I've tried to send ANBU twice, but I've got no straight answers… I'll need to go myself. Konoha will have to be under your charge while I'm gone.”

“You've got to be kidding me, right?”

“No. Why would I be?”

“It's booorrring!!!”

“Too bad!”

“I've got other things to do!”

“Like what?”

“Ummm… I've got a book to finish!”

“Spying on girls, more like… right?”

“Well, research DOES take time.”

“You've got to be kidding me…”

“So harsh.”

“You're a Sannin. Act like one. Think of the example you are setting. The last thing we need is for people like Neji to get into the habit of peeping.”

“Neji… Hyuuga, right?” Jiraiya rubbed his chin. “Never thought about it in that way. Huh.”

“What did I do?”

“Tsunade-sama?” asked Shizune entering the room, followed closely by Kotetsu and Izumo. “Are you alright?”

“Just worried.”

“About what?”

“Nothing.” Tsunade turned to Jiraiya. “Maybe Team 7 could bring him back.”

Jiraiya shrugged.

“We'll have to see…”

“Fine, then.” Tsunade sighed. “You have full powers to research, interview, whatever… Here, take these permission slips and this will help you gain access to everything. The only place you cannot get to is ANBU. Don't even try to approach them, okay?”

Sakura and the boys nodded.

“Right!”

Hours later…

“Okay… I know the war really messed things up but I didn't think the filing had gotten THIS bad.”

“Well… Kotetsu and Izumo do have other things to do. Shizune never does the filing anymore - and Tsunade is just too busy. We've been trying to get Chuunins in here… but in reality the only people who know what they're doing are Ko and Zu-zu….” Sakura sighed. “I help when I can…”

“Hey!” Kotetsu poked his head around the corner.

“You need help?”

“We can't seem to find something. But don't worry. We'll find it!”

“Just call if you need help… Oh! Will you be at the bar tonight, Sakura-chan!”

“Of course! Will Zu-zu be there?”

“Don't call me that! You're too cruel!”

Sakura giggled and Kotetsu laughed.

“It's your fault you've got a cute name!”

Sasuke stared, Naruto yawned.
“Idiots,” the blonde kitsune mumbled.

“For once, I agree,” the black haired Uchiha nodded.

They stared around them - it was a large room full of files - old, musty, yellowing scrolls and newer pages, file folders and scrolls. The air seemed dusty and stale - and somewhere, dim light filtered in from ground level windows.

“I never knew we had a basement like this,” Naruto had said.

And when they had seen the disorder, the boys looked at each other weakly.

“I think I hit something.”

Sakura said, dragging out a box labeled `Hatake'.

“It's the family info.”

Naruto picked up a page and stared at it.

“What does glycerin mean?”

There was a silence.

“I don't think we'll be much help here,” Sasuke said. “Even I don't know some this terminology.”
Sakura looked up, thoughtful.

“Well… then, help me carry upstairs to my study desk and you boys can go through his missions reports.”

“I don't need Sasuke's help for that!” sniffed Naruto.

“Are you sure, dobe?”

“Stop calling me that!”

“Calling you what, idiot?”

“That! I'm going to kill you, Sasuke-teme!!!”

“Hmmm… Sasuke, why don't you do the interrogation?”

“Sure. And maybe I could drop by his house.”

“Fine. Let's meet at the bar around nine, okay?”

“GREAT!!! I bet I can unearth more secrets than you, Sasuke!”

“Sure. Whatever.”

Kakashi woke to a loud cry reverberating over the village.

Naruto?

Whatever burden had been on the white-haired ninja had disappeared now - and for a moment he revealed in the peace.

Team 7. My team. My proud team.

He smiled as he remembered the boy's determination to bring Sasuke back.

“Kakashi.”

Kakashi turned away and sighed.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

“What's the price?”

“Can you put a price on love?”

“You're asking me that kind of question?”

“Hmmm… I know the answer. Let me show you.”

“So now, faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

READ AND REVIEW!!! PLEEEAAASSSEEE!!!!

NEXT EP: Sakura flipped the book open and gasped, tears stinging in her eyes. It touched her soft heart to know - Kakashi - how early he had lost his mother.