A/N: Standard disclaimer applies.
About students…
Once again Kakashi found himself fiddling with a white ceramic mask and resting against the branches of a tree from where he could see the memorial stone and his favourite training zone, but this time he wasn't looking at his three future students. No, this time he was trying to figure out where or when all his plans and projects for his students had gotten so jumbled up.
He was thinking about all the scrolls and exercises ha had already prepared for Sakura to give her the best chakra control in the history of Konoha, to make out of her the authority in genjutsu and medic jutsu –Look here, look at me, I did it!-, -Kakashi-sensei! How come Sakura can run and jump on water and we haven't figured out how to stand?-.
He was thinking in all the things that he had yet to teach Naruto to fix up all the mess the Academy had left in his basic education, in all the high level jutsus he could have taught him with his abnormally large chakra reserves, in uncovering all his hidden potential, in how he was beginning to develop Naruto's taste for literature –Naruto! What the hell are you doing? Watch were you are going!–, -But… Sensei! I want to learn how to read walking, too-.
He was thinking in how Sasuke would carry whatever he taught him to the limits, he would begin with the normal Chidori, then they would use chakra shape manipulation and make new and even more powerful lightning jutsus, in jutsus yet to be created, in how they would take the Sharingan to unsuspected heights – Sensei… What would happen if in stead of making the Chidori focused and without shape, we gave it a katana form?–, -Hmm… maybe it would work…-.
Above all he was thinking in how they had been turning into something like a family, dysfunctional, yes, but family. In Sakura, that shared an innocence with them that he and Naruto had never known and Sasuke had lost long ago. In Naruto, who gave them all a part of his inexhaustible optimism that held up against everything, even life, and how his smile gave them their fighting spirit back in the darkest of situations. In Sasuke, that, despite being as antisocial as he was, always knew if someone needed silent company after a specially irksome mission that stirred memories best forgotten, motivation if someone felt they had been left behind, or a brutal fight after a visit to the village's center while the villagers where being specially nasty.
He remembered the times he sent Shiba and Bisuke to keep Sakura company after a nasty mission, a friend was in a dangerous mission without her or she lost a patient while in hospital duty –I tried! I swear I tried… but I lost her. She was just a genin, a rookie, this was her first mission and I lost her!-.
In all the sleepless nights he spent watching Sasuke from afar –Sasuke! Think you're ready to come inside? Naruto and Sakura must be about to wake up…-.
In all the time he spent by Naruto's side helping him fight against his demons when things were a bit too much and his smile didn't hold up anymore –Sensei… I don't understand. Ever since I learned about the Fox I haven't done anything but help them out: I fought against Gaara, Orochimaru and Akatsuki, I brought back Tsunade-baachan to be Hokage… Why? Why do they still hate me so much?–, -I don't know Naruto, I really don't know… -.
But what he couldn't get out of his head was the scene he found when he arrived at the Valley of the End: Naruto passed out, a fist sized hole on his always favored orange jacket and a crossed out hitai-ate in his hand, Sasuke's presence fading out in the distance, Sakura's face when she asked for Sasuke and Naruto to be brought back safely.
But all that didn't matter any more.
It didn't matter because even though Sakura would achieve all he had planed out for her, it wouldn't be because of his teachings –Kakashi-sensei, Kakashi-sensei! Tsunade-sama accepted me as her pupil. I almost can't believe it, this is the best thing ever happened to me!-.
It didn't matter because even though Naruto would learn to control his chakra to make unprecedented things and uncover all his potential, it wouldn't be with his help –Kakashi, I believe the best thing for Naruto right now is to take him with me in a training trip. We have to make sure he can take care of himself against Akatsuki-.
It didn't matter because even though Sasuke would manage to control the Chidori to perfection and would create jutsus that would leave everyone speechless, he would have no part in it, whatsoever –Kakashi, do you really believe Sasuke will be content with your teachings? Ha, ha, ha, he will come to me, I'm sure of it-.
He knew. He knew it from the beginning. He knew before anyone else that his students, the only team of pre-genins that managed to pass his exam, the only ones that convinced him that it was worth it to connect with people again, would be the next generation of the Densetsu no Sannin and would exceed any and every expectation. They would surpass Tsunade, Jiraiya and Orochimaru not only as ninjas, but as individuals and above all… as a team. He knew from the beginning that they would attain things never before even attempted.
What he didn't know was that they would do it without him.
But everything would fix itself out, he felt it.
In just a couple of years two of his students would find their way back to him, and when they were together again they would bring back the fourth and last member of Team Seven.
Meanwhile… meanwhile he would go back to the shadows to do what he did best, protect his village from the darkness, to successfully perform the most dangerous missions back to back, and to train.
Every moment, every instant he wasn't on a mission he would train to exhaustion. And when his cute, little students came back to him he will be at his best, stronger, faster and wiser than ever and he will be able to teach them everything they needed to learn, able to protect them from the world, heaven or hell, when necessary.
- Inu-taicho, it's time to go. Mission awaits.
A/N: Edited, Sep 4th, 2012