A/N: Today is a very sad day for me, Kakashi is my favorite anime character of all time. For him to die so soon, I just can't take it. This started off as a memorial fanfiction to him but then I decided to go a little further with it. Everyone deserves to dream, so why can't I?


-Somewhere over the rainbow-


His body fell limp, and he smiled at the last thought he wished. If only he could see Rin and Obito one last time, to buy Naruto ramen and ruffle Sakura's hair and make her blush once again. He had no regrets in life, but for the deaths of all the shinobi who had died to protect his home. He wasn't sure when he died and noticed a sudden dark tunnel his feet wandered down. Was it the path to hell or heaven? What judgments would await the silver ninja?

He smiled as he saw a familiar figure and relaxed. This was just another page in the book. He seated himself and smiled at the beaming face of one from long ago.

"Hey dad."

"I've been waiting son."

"Me to…me to. I have so much to tell you. It'll take awhile."

"We have all the time in the world."

"Is that what this is? All the lost time that I can finally catch back up with?"

"I've never really known. But the village feels like a distant dream, a footstep left behind that you cant retrace. Just another lost path in the sand"

"I can still feel the cold stones around me, or my body. Does it always fill this way?"

"No, the fire warms you."

Kakashi's eyes drifted away from his father, but reluctantly as he stared into the licking flames before them. He assumed he was dead, or something close to it. He had saved Choji, he'd killed Pien, or a piece of him.

"I always knew I'd die young."

"Oh?"

"Mhm, but it was for the village dad. They were under attack you know."

"I know, we can watch here. But only sometimes when the year is right and the peace is equal in both worlds. You've grown into a legend of your own son, I'm proud of you. Kakashi the Copy Ninja, what a title."

He was silent for a bit, the emotions surfacing up and diving below before they could peek. How was one to handle death? To finally receive recognition from the one person he'd ever really wanted it from. A parents joy was a child's dream, this child's long deserved dream.

"I'd give it up then, I-Obito. He was a hero, a real ninja. It was our first mission and we were supposed to help turn the tide of the war. Except there were complications…and I was acting on my own and then—and then he died. His whole right side was crushed by a massive bolder, a cave in. It should have been me but he jumped in and saved me. He just smiled at me dad, and said that he finally had my present. Because I was named the leader…something useful. And then Rin cut it out—

Kakashi traced the scare over his glowing sharingan eye as he spoke—and gave it to me. I've shown him the future, my future. It should have been his. He'd have become a great shinobi…"

He hadn't cried much in his life, the sadness of the ninja way had already eaten up all his tears. But much over due they began to trace a sorrowful path down his cheeks and through his mask. Kakashi could taste the saltiness they left on his lips and turned to wipe his face. His father gently leaned over and pulled him into a reassuring hug, something he was deprived of for a very long time.

"Shhhh, shush now, it's okay. It's in the past, your safe, and there is no more need of pain. It has no place in your heart now. Make amends with your demons."

"I have faced demons, and killed them. I suffer them no more."

"Ah, but you do. The guilt that may or not be yours is still holding you there, to life."

"I just want to be home, I just wanted to protect Rin, I can't even keep a promise like that…"

He sniffled some and clenched his jaw down for strength. A grown man should never cry, but here in the shadows of the campfire he was just a small boy with gleaming silver hair, like his father.

"Look, kiddo. Dry these old worries of yours and embrace the present, your destiny has already been fulfilled in one time."

"I still feel cold."

His father slightly knitted his brows together in thought, and sighed.

"What is it dad?"

"Well I was just thinking. You'll be missed. They'll have a funeral for you and the other shinobi who died in the battle. Another thing about this world is you still feel emotions. They aren't yours but of others, the ones who loved you, and will always love you."

"I'll miss my students, and Gai and all the others. Will I see them one day again?"

"Of course, anyone that has pass may be visited, its…another world here with rules and regulations of it's own. But for now we can just talk. Tell me about your student's hm?

"Oh, well there was Naruto Uzamaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha. A handful if I ever knew one. I am sorry I won't be there for them. Naruto, he will be the Hokage someday. He was the child of prophecy, a warrior of heart and soul who'd do anything for his comrades. And little Sakura, a little late bloomer but she's a real beauty and as tough if not stronger than the Sanin Tsunade."

"The slug woman?"

"The very one, she's the Hokage now. After the third passed…"

"Don't worry you'll see him around."

"You always knew what I was thinking."

"Well you are my son. What kind of father would I be if I couldn't even do that?"

Kakashi glanced at his dad and shrugged sheepishly. His father frowned and looked at him seriously. "Do you forgive this old mans foolishness Kakashi? I was a horrible father, always gone on missions and then…leaving you was the worst thing I could have done. I'm sorry."

"Its alright, I missed you and you still taught me a lot even if I didn't talk to you like this. But I did always talk to you."

"I know, I heard you too, visiting my grave everyday. I always wandered if you'd never get married because of silly old me."

"Well honestly I've never really found anyone except…but I've made mistakes as well. I'm ready to be laid at rest with them." He rubbed his arms slowly in a massaging manner and grimaced. It did not go unnoticed.

"What is it?"

"I'm still sore, I guess from the battle…that's odd. I thought I was a spirit not a body."

"Spirits may still feel but only if they are wavering souls not undead."

"What?"

"I thought as much…I don't think your dead son. But before you go I would like to tell you something."

"No wait, I don't want to go dad. I haven't even begun to tell you everything, please." Kakashi wined and gripped his father tighter but his dad just smiled the whole time sadly.

"No, I think you've been given a second chance. This is a gift. Someone needs you, maybe your students who are nearly grown and have more to learn yet. If ever I was a bad father I would redeem myself now so take it and go."

"But dad…"

"Kakashi, I love you. You are a fathers pride and joy. But others need you, and I will always be watching you, and one day we'll meet again. But today is not that day it seems. And remember, dare to dream. Because you never know when death will sweep you off your feet again."

The copy ninja closed his eyes and breathed deeply and then let go. "alright, I love you so much. I'll see you around then?"

"You know you will. It might be a long wait, here—he threw a bundle at him and he caught it—it's a gift from a friend."

"I'm not sure this is—"

"Just take it"

He smiled one last time as he stood to go, "And dad."

"What is it son?"

"I forgive you."

And then the sands of time came and tossed the silver haired son back into blackness, leaving a fulfilled father behind.


A/N: Alright, i'm open to any ideas or suggestions but i have a general idea of where this story is going.

- Much love, scribbler