So this is a one shot that came to my head late one night and I just couldn't ignore it. I hope you enjoy it and that it isn't to angsty. I'm not sure I fully capture the angst that my brain came up with right.

Heroes die Early

He doesn't know how long he has been standing there. Staring at the memorial stone in agony. More specifically the two newly added names that he had carved into the stone himself.

His recently given white Hokage robes stained by the grass and dirt. His knees aching from kneeling too long, a symptom of his advanced age. His normally gravity defying silver hair, matted down due to the downpouring rain that matched his mood.

His one good eye drooped in sorrow as salty tears leaked out. Dark pupils clouded by grief.

It was never supposed to happen like this he reasoned. It was supposed to be him that died first.

The image of a beautiful blonde haired woman with blue eyes filled with mirth flashed through his vision. A young boy clung to her side. Mask in place and same hair sticking up in all directions, His wife and son.

Hatake Naruto and Hatake Sakumo.

Their relationship had always been an odd one. From him being her ANBU guard during her childhood. Then her sensei. And eventually her lover and husband. They had kept it quiet at first. Eventually they decided to tie the knot during a private ceremony with only their most trusted people in attendance. Months later she was pregnant.

He never thought family would ever be an option. After losing everybody he cared for, the idea of family was thrown out in favor of not being hurt again.

But, that loud, beautiful, chatter box gave him that option.

And for the longest time he was happy. He raised his son along side the women of his dreams and everything was well. His fairy tale ending.

But, he forgot one thing. One thing that had shown itself to be true from even before the time of the Sennin.

Naruto was a hero. And heroes rarely ever get a happy ending.

And because Naruto was the greatest hero of them all, things would never end happily. Once a hero is made, that person is automatically looked to in hard times. They are expected to fight for the people and die for the people. There is no choice in the matter.

Naruto knew this, yet decided to do it anyway. She went so above and beyond the normal hero status, that she became the biggest threat. Assassins and bandits all around the elemental countries out for her blood.

She was Uzumaki Naruto, Rokudaime Hokage, Hero of the Hidden Leaf, and jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails.

She was so great that he sometimes forgot that she was actually Hatake Naruto, wife of Hatake Kakashi, and mother of Hatake Sakumo.

Naruto had played the role of hero for so long that he sometimes wondered if she knew how not to. Then he would remember that she never needed to be anything else. Some would call it fate, others destiny. But he knew that being a hero was a major part of her entire being. Her father was a hero, her mother was a hero. The same goes for her grandfather and her surrogate mother. Three of the four all carried the Hokage position before her. Only Tsunade had escaped a sacrificial death that the others weren't as lucky to endure.

In the end, Naruto was added to the list of shinobi dead before her time. When she and their son passed, the council offered him the position.

He almost denied the position after the death of his predecessor and late wife. His grief stopped him from doing much at times and Konoha needed a strong leader.

His hand made its way up to the emerald crystal necklace around his neck as he tried to remember his reason for accepting the damn job.

"Kaa-chan, what does it mean to be Hokage?" asked Sakumo one night after dinner. They were in the sitting room as they laid back and relaxed after a long day. Their son curled into the warmth of his mother as she ran her fingers through his hair. Content with the world around them.

Kakashi turned his gaze toward his wife to find her biting her lip and a fire burning in her eyes. Gosh, he loved it when that happened. The lip thing turned him on and the fire made his body warm to the deepest pits of his soul.

"Well Sochi," she started. Her melodic voice sending tingles down his spine. "Being Hokage means a lot of things. It means being a leader. Having the ability to lead your comrades into battle and for them to respect your decisions, is crucial. The Hokage must be able to lead their people peacetime and war. If they cannot do that, they do not deserve the position." She paused to make she he was still listening.

"It also means they have to be both the Hero and the Villain. The Hokage has to be able to know when the right side is needed. They must also endure the criticism that comes with those choices." she took a second to catch her breath and glance at him before she continued.

"Being Hokage means that they have to protect everyone under their care. The Hokage is responsible for the entire village. They are the shadow that fans the flames, of the Will of Fire.

I have a duty to everyone around me to protect them from things they cannot fight themselves. The village is my family, and what have I said about family?" she asked.

"That family and our precious ones are more important than anything else." proclaimed the youngest Hatake making Naruto smile widely.

"That's right," she looked into his eyes and continued. "And like every Hokage before me, and hopefully afterwards as well, that desire and need to protect those around us, is the Will of Fire that is so important. For without the fire, there is no shadow. And with no shadow, there is no fire."

When he looked up at her with wide eyes, she came to a decision. Reaching into her shirt and pulling the priceless crystal off her neck and slipped it around his. She looked at him with love and hushed him before he could say anything.

"I am entrusting you with the Will of Fire, Sakumo. All of the previous Hokages had it, and now I am giving it to you. For when you become the shinobi that is better that all those before you, including me and your father, and our fathers before us. You will guide the fire because I believe in you," she looked her husband in the eye.

"Remember that."

Kakashi snapped back to attention as the sound of footfalls echoed behind him. Turning, he came face to face with Sakura. She had an apprehensive look on her face that had him on edge.

"...Yeah Sakura-chan," he asked, ignoring the slight tremble to his voice. She cast an appraising eye over him to make she he was alright before answering him.

"..The team sent out to find him, got a lead." she said. She stiffened when his gaze sharpened and killing intent blanketed the clearing around them. She gulped before pushing on. "He is currently at the Valley of the End. He's waiting for you sensei." she muttered. Eyes beginning to tear up at what was about to come.

She knew that the outcome of this fight was going hurt her. Her former love and her sensei. Fighting to the death after what happened to her blonde teammate.

Sasuke was the reason Kakashi's family was dead. He'd stolen Sakumo away so that Naruto would follow. In the end, both the Hatake's died and Sasuke disappeared into the night. Kakashi had been searching for the bastard ever since.

And now he was going to get his revenge or die trying. Most likely both. It didn't take long before he had shunshinned to his home to prepare for the battle ahead.

He arrived in the Hatake estate that he shared with his family when they were alive. When Naruto had gotten pregnant, he pushed past his memories of the place so they could have a place away from the world.

Having so many acres to themselves made life easier in the long run. Peaceful and less traffic that was near their old apartment. Plus the added benefit of Sakumo having more space to rome without the common dangers the village had.

Stumbling his way to the room he shared with his wife, Kakashi grimaced as he realized the room hadn't changed since her death. He desperately clung to a time before their deaths. When life was good and it seemed he'd finally have a happy ending.

Looking at the room now though, he realized that he wouldn't get one. His only hope is that he gets his happy ending in death. Hope that he is allowed into the afterlife with all those he has loved waiting for him.

Walking over to the closet,he stripped of his soaked Hokage robes and hat. An orange haori caught his attention and he put it on over his normal attire. The black flames dancing across the bottom bringing back memories of a time long past.

A time before they'd even gotten together. The sight of her standing on top of Gamabunta was one of the most intense and beautiful things he has ever seen. Her blonde hair flowing behind her in the wind made her look like a goddess sent from above to reign out justice.

Looking in the mirror, he stared unfocused at his reflection. Another image portrayed over his own. Obitos sharingan made sure important memories were burned into his subconscious.

He gazed at her as she stood in front of the mirror. Clothed in only a shirt of his that was way too big on her frame. Her shoulders peeking out at him in sinful temptation. A beautiful pout on her lips as she frowned at her stomach.

She patted her belly tenderly as she looked over her shoulder at him. The sight of her bright blue eyes looking lovingly at him always made his heart beat faster.

He chuckled as he stood up from the bed and came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and leaning his head on her own. His mask was off as he had stopped wearing at home when she first moved in. The tug of his lips seemed to make her pout even more.

"What's wrong Naru-hime?" he asked knowing she secretly loved it when he called her that. He knew she was in a better mood when her lips turned up into a small smile that she reserved only for him.

It was a beautiful thing that smile. Nothing like her normal fox like grin. But it was the softer side of her that shown through. The side only those closest to her were ever privileged to see.

Her wedding ring glinted off the mirror as she raised her hand to grab a hold of his. She didn't answer for a while as she gazed upon the matching set of rings their fingers held. When she looked back up his breath caught.

Big blue eyes filled with tears as she lovingly caressed his ring finger. The image strangely reminded him of an old photograph of her parents when Kushina was pregnant.

Naruto turned in his arms until she was looking up at him through her blonde caressed her whiskered cheek with calloused fingers and watched amused when she leaned in and seemed to purr.

"...Kashi-koi.." she mumbled. The strong kunoichi nowhere to be seen as the loving women took her place. "I think we are going to need a bigger place."

"Ah, yea I guess this apartment is - wait what?" he questioned. Perplexed at why they would need to move. It was a nice apartment.

Her eyes held a mirth that he knew she was enjoying herself. "Hai, this apartment is not big enough for three people after all."

What?

"Is someone going to be staying with us then?" he felt stupid when she started to giggle at him. He didn't think anybody had needed a place to stay. But, this is Naruto. He should of guessed something like this would happen.

"Mhmm, someone is going to be living with us." she smirked. Clearly she was having fun picking on him. "But, we don't have to worry about it for while."

"How long is a while? And who is it that is staying?" he was planning on finding this person and asking(read: demand) why they were staying in his home.

Her smirk turned into a full blown smile. Her tinkling laugh sent a shudder down his spine. The usual boisterous laugh she uses as a mask nowhere to be seen. They leave their masks at the door when coming home.

"Well Kashi-kun, Tsunade-baachan said they'd be ready to join us in around 8 months." she was using that voice again. The one where she slowly and at just the right pitch that made him feel like a-

...child.

..Kami-sama.

His eyes widened as he spluttered around trying to grasp onto what he was just told. He looked at her to see if she would help him out.

Naruto only laughed.

He shook himself out of the memory as he continued to get for the battle about to come. This would be the deciding battle. Deciding whether or not he was finally allowed peace or if he was going to have to wait a bit longer.

Looking towards the bed he let a small smile cross his face. On the nightstand was a picture of him and Naruto. They matched the picture that her parents had taken when Kushina was pregnant. That was a fun day.

Shaking his head he walked through the estate for what could be the last time. He has many memories in this place. Some good, others bad, but this was home.

Waking up next to Naruto was something he was glad he could do. They made it a point to do family things every chance they got.

He chuckled remembering Naruto yelling at their son to wake up every morning. Sometime it got bad enough that she'd run up the steps and jump on Sakumo. The screaming was always music to his ears.

Soon enough he was locking down the estate and making his way towards the Valley of the End. A fitting name for what was about to come.

He had made all the preparations that he needed to. Leaving Pakkun and his ninken in the hands of Sakura. She would take care of them.

If he dies though, he made the recommendation that Konohamaru takes the Hokage position. His dream had always been to be one. He followed Naruto to the ends of the earth, so Kakashi knew he'd make a great choice.

He arrived at the edge of the valley.

It was time to end this.

They stood at opposite ends of the Valley. Both on the statues of two men that had made shinobi into something more than just warring clans.

Legendary people.

The situation was almost symbolic. Once upon a time things were good. Friends,comrades, teacher and student.

Now though, Kakashi was just the substitution for what should've been. This was supposed to be Naruto's battle. They had a relationship that was that of siblings.

He glared across the valley. His angry gaze stuck on his opponent. That bastard had killed his wife and son. All past feelings don't matter. Sasuke Uchiha had to die before him.

Kakashi was going make sure that happened or die trying.

Hopefully both.

"So you've come, Kakashi." spoke the bastard. His arrogant smirk adorns his arrogant face.

"One of us is not going to make it out alive Sasuke." he growled.

For a moment, time was still. The sounds around them all stopped. It was just them. And as a single leaf floated down between them they tensed. When the leaf hit the ground they sprang into action.

Both moving at speeds above the average Jonin. They met in the middle and went into a taijutsu fight. Both trying to cause as much damage with their fists.

"Katon"

And just like that the first ninjutsu was used by Sasuke. Kakashi sped through his own hand signs and a wall of water rose in front of the blaze.

"Suton"

When the water fell back to the earth, both shinobi stood still, eyeing the other in hopes of finding a weakness to exploit.

This wasn't going to be a battle of strength. Both had proven that they were strong. No, this was a battle of wills.

Kakashi glared down at his ex-student. He hated this man with his entire heart. Sasuke had taken his light. His heart, and crushed them with a smile.

He bite his thumb and swiped it on the ground. Fully aware of Sasuke doing the same.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu"

When the smoke finally cleared, two beings of amazing power could be seen. Manda the snake boss, and Kurama the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

"So you chose to summon me after all, pervert." growled the giant fox. His nine tails swishing behind him in agitation and anticipation.

Kakashi gave him his usual eye smile and chuckled sheepishly. His hand coming up to rub the back of his head. "Yare yare, hello again Kyuubi-sama."

The giant kitsune just grunted before he looked over at the snake boss across from him. A feral grin adorning his face. "It's about time we kill this meatbag, Naruto didn't deserve such a fate."

The white haired shinobi hummed and decided it was time to end this. "It's an honor to have known you Kurama."

"You as well Hatake," came the reply.

"Well isn't this just touching," mocked Sasuke. "It's time for you to die, sensei." He grinned manically, the Curse of Hatred already run it's course. He was fully gone, mad with power.

Both sides rushed each other, intent of killing their opponents. The following battle was a long one. As both shinobi fought, their summons battled it out in all out warfare.

The land was reshaped. Explosions heard all over the Elemental Nations. The battle was so intense, that the ending seemed rather anti-climatic.

Kakashi had just finishing defending against an attack, when he heard his signature attack being started. In response, he charged up the main technique of his wife. The two jumped towards each other, both thrusting the final attack forward.

"Chidori"

"Rasengan"

The world stood still as both men stood in front of each other, their arms aimed before them. Nothing moved, not even the wind.

It wasn't until both men coughed up blood, that the results were shown. Both attacks had hit, and both were fatal. Neither would leave the battlefield alive, that was true.

Kakashi fell onto his back and stared up at the sky. It was beautiful today. The sun shone down on him and he felt warm. He always thought dying would be cold.

He wondered if Naruto was watching. That she would be happy he was coming for her and their son. He wanted to see them again.

And so, that was how Hatake Kakashi died. Getting revenge for his wife and child. And killing the bastard that ruined their lives so much.

He died, staring at the cerulean blue sky, that reminded him of his wife so.

FIn