Alright! If you're coming here from Coming Home, please skip to "XXX Later that day" That's where the story branches off. I hope you like it! God, I should be studying .

Chapter 35

Kakashi ran his hands up Lina's body as his kissed her softly, chastely. The water in the bathtub had cooled some, but their bodies were flush, keeping them warm. Lina tilted her head to the side and sighed as Kakashi licked a fresh lovebite. Her hands pushed him away slightly so she could reach up and put her arms around his neck.

"Kashi…" Lina's breath ghosted on his lips as their noses nuzzled, and Kakashi reached down to pull her closer on his lap. The water sloshed around them, but neither paid any attention.

"I love you, Lina." Kakashi whispered back with his eyes closed. He leaned forward to touch his lips to hers, but pulled back at the metallic taste. He opened his eyes and saw the horror in front of him.

Lina's body was limp in his arms, and blood was dribbling from every orifice, staining the bathwater red. Her eyes were vacant, her body shredded.

"No...no…" Kakashi whispered as he gripped her to him. Her back bent grotesquely even as he pulled her to him, and her head fell back. Kakashi's body ran cold and he began to shake.

"No!"

XXX

Kakashi launched himself upwards as streams of sweat soaked his mattress. He covered his face in his hands as he panted and tried to calm his heart. The nightmares were getting worse. He'd never forget the feeling of seeing her on the ground after Danzo had killed himself and tried to take everyone with him. Kakashi shut his eyes and quickly threw his blanket off him and walked to the bathroom. He turned on the water in the sink and autonomously began to wash his hands, just as he used to after he'd murdered Rin. He saw something fall into the sink, clear liquid, and knew Obito's eye was crying again. But then another fell, a few centimeters to the right, and he looked up into the mirror. His own eye was crying too.

He quickly brushed his tears away with a swipe of his arm and dried his hands. He threw on a shirt and pants and walked out the door for another walk around town. He wasn't getting any sleep tonight either.

XXX

A dark hooded figure slipped through the shadows until he was barely a foot away from Lina, sleeping on her bed. His hand itched to strangle her in her sleep, to see the life fade from her eyes at his own hands, but that wasn't his job. His job was to keep her here. The others would be acting out the plan soon. Still…

The figure reached into his cloak and pulled out a kunai. Avenging his fallen comrades was always on the forefront of his mind, and his body ached to slice her to ribbons, to make her suffer. This girl, who had killed Danzo-sama, killed his friends, just laying here as if nothing was wrong. His mouth twisted in a scowl, and he raised his arm. Surely killing her wouldn't do any harm.

But before he could bring his arm down, Lina turned towards him with a sigh, and he stopped. Her face was wet with tears, and she clutched the corner of her pillow tightly.

"Kashi…"

The soft whimper stilled the man's hands and he looked down at her. She was in this much pain from a breakup? His scowl turned into a feral grin. She had no idea of the pain she was about to go through. The man slipped back into the shadows and watched the girl sleep.

XXX

Kakashi walked to the chuunin complex and looked up at where he knew Lina's apartment was. His heart hurt, and all he wanted to do was go see if she was alright, but he knew that just looking at her would never be enough. They'd made some progress over the last few days, after that night at the bar, and he'd even been graced with a small smile the last time he said hello to her. He would wait for her to come to him. He slowly walked away.

XXX

The man's hand clenched again as he heard the pathetic cries of a naïve girl. He hated her whimpers, every quiver of her lips making her more and more human in his eyes. He slowly lowered his hood, and Ritsu walked back over to Lina, his hands shaking. Why did she cry?! She hadn't cried when she and her friends had killed his comrades for no reason! She had no right to cry.

Suddenly a burst of chakra alerted his attention and he swiftly pulled up his cloak and sank back into the shadows in the corner of the room.

XXX

Kakashi found himself walking up the chuunin apartment complex stairs, until he was face to face with Lina's door. He paused for a moment, but in the next moment felt a burst of chakra near her peaceful one. The chakra was powerful, and dark, but also light, as if it was confused. All he knew was that it wasn't friendly. He quickly unlocked the door and silently strode through the apartment, his ANBU training kicking in.

He walked into Lina's room a moment too late for the chakra had disappeared. He quickly scanned the room, not letting his eyes linger on Lina's sleeping for like he wanted to, and immediately saw the open window, curtains fluttering. He walked to the window and looked down, searching, but nothing was there. Even the faint bit of chakra he'd felt had been fuzzy. Had he imagined it?

Lina rolled in her sleep, shivering in the cold late-January air that was coming through, and Kakashi silently closed the window for her. He walked to her side and looked at her. There were dry tears on her face, and she looked like she was having a nightmare.

"Souta…" Kakashi's hands clenched at his sides at her voicing his name, and he felt tears prick Obito's eye. He walked out of her apartment and silently locked the door behind him. He walked out of the apartment and looked up at the moon.

"How much longer do I need to wait?" He whispered, but the night simply gave him a harsh breeze at his cheeks.

… Days later

"Let go of my hair, you little monster!" Lina softly chided Mirai, and the little Sarutobi gurgled out a laugh, earning a smile from her babysitter. Lina was holding Mirai in the kitchen as Kurenai took a quick shower. The newborn was turning a month tomorrow, and Lina couldn't help but coddle her. She tickled the baby's stomach as she cooed, and Mirai yelped and graced Lina with a beautiful smile. In all her experience, Lina had never heard of a baby that could smile at 1 month of age, and when she asked Shizune, she was told that it was extremely rare. Which of course made it all the more special, and became routine for Mirai to show Lina.

"You baby her too much." Lina turned her head to see Genma walking in, and she smirked.

"Oh right. And who was it who baby-talked to her for a half hour last Thursday while I made food for Kurenai?"

Genma shrugged. "I was bored." Lina shook her head in amusement and turned her attention back to cooing. The entire shinobi family of their took turns taking care of the little girl, and every one of them loved her. And why not? She was the product of the purest love in the world, and as shinobi they knew just how precious that was.

Genma crossed over and stood behind Lina so that he could look over her shoulder. Mirai gurgled in recognition and tried to reach for Genma's senbon, which he quickly spat out and instead gave her his finger. Mirai tried to suck on the finger, but Genma quickly took it out of her hand, much to her displeasure, so she turned to Lina's chest, looking for something to suck. Lina's eyes widened and she quickly pulled Mirai off of her and held her precariously as she walked to the bathroom door.

"Kurenai? Mirai's hungry." Lina called out, and in a moment Kurenai opened the door, towel drying her hair.

"Come here, sweet baby. Thanks." Kurenai cooed to Mirai and thanked Lina for her help before she closed the door again to breastfeed. She'd seen Genma there, and she preferred her privacy when feeding her baby.

Lina sighed and stretched her arms up to the ceiling to crack her back and shoulder joints. She sat down at the table and folded her hands at the wrist to rest her chin on them. Genma watched her for a moment before he spoke.

"So. How is everything?"

Lina looked up at him, surprised. Recently he'd been acting oddly. Nicer. It was weird. She lifted her face up and nodded. "I'm fine." There was no need to mention anything to him, but apparently he didn't believe her. She didn't speak for a moment, expecting him to change the subject or let it go, but he just sat waiting for her. Finally, the silence stretched too long, and Lina laughed awkwardly.

"W-what?!" Lina laughed.

Genma leaned forward, his face showing all the awkwardness he felt. "Hey. You can talk to us, you know. I know you think you can't, but you can."

Lina's eyes widened before they softened, and she nodded. "Thanks." She didn't know what to say, because this was so different from what she knew of him, but Genma was completely serious, and she appreciated it.

"So." Genma prompted her, and Lina raised an eyebrow.

"...So?"

"How are you?"

Sigh. "I'm fine."

Pause. "You look like it." Genma scoffed, and Lina threw him a look.

"I'm thinking of...never mind."

"What?" Genma leaned forwards, and Lina bit her lip, blushing lightly.

"Do you remember Hana?"

"Of course." As if he could forget.

"I'm thinking of doing that again."

"...Why?"

"Because it's easier." Lina shrugged self-deprecatingly, and Genma shook his head.

"You don't need to do it again. You are fine as yourself."

Lina looked up shocked and blushed. A small smile creeped up on her face and she looked down. "Thanks, Genma."

"Hn."

XXX Later that day

"You need to find her." Genma walked into Kakashi's apartment and announced it to the room. He quickly told Gai, Aoba, and Kakashi what Lina had said at Kurenai's, and Kakashi's eye went wide. He stood up, hands clenched at his side. She was going hunting tonight.

"Hang on a second." Gai placed a restraining hand on his friend and turned to Genma. "You never said anything about her going tonight."

"I told her she didn't need to, but I don't think she believes me. Think about it, about her personality. She's going to do it tonight." Genma spoke firmly, and Kakashi had to agree. Gai sighed, and nodded.

"Alright, we have to think of a brilliant plan then. We can't just have you waltz right in, Kakashi."

"No plans. I know what I need to do." Kakashi spoke firmly. Genma grimly eyed his friend and silently apologized to Lina. He knew she'd hate him for this, but he was just looking out for the both of them. She wouldn't be happy just fucking around, and she knew it.

XXX That evening

Lina eyed herself in front of the mirror. She'd henge'd into an average-height girl, with straight black hair styled in a chin-length bob, and sharp eyes. Her lips were the only thing that stayed the same on her face. Her body was lean, modelled after Sakura, though she kept her hips. She carefully placed some lip gloss on her lips (raspberry flavored) and hopped out of her window to go to a popular club.

…

Kakashi walked through town barely paying attention to his surroundings as he followed Lina's unmistakable scent. She'd changed it beyond recognition for anyone who didn't know her as well as he did, but he would never mistake her scent, no matter what had changed. There was something so very 'Lina' about it. His nose led him straight to a popular club that was known for anonymity in its patrons, and he breathed in harshly. He would need to work overtime to find her, but he was definitely up for the challenge. But first…

Kakashi slipped into an alley and quickly henge'd into a lanky blond with Minato-sensei's bone structure, but dark brown eyes. He stowed away his mask and walked out into the open. He'd be portraying a civilian.

XXX

Lina laughed and flirted at the young man in front of her, making him blush. He's cute, she mused. The blond hair shone in the strobe lights, and his brown eyes sparkled with what Gai would call 'youth'. He said his name was Nato, and Lina had crinkled her nose.

"Like, fermented beans?" Which had made him blush and look down at his drink.

"Long story…" Nato mumbled, and Lina reached over.

"I think it's cute. At least you don't smell like it!" She joked, and Nato cracked a smile. The music changed, and Lina had an idea. She got up and pulled him to the dance floor. "Dance with me."

Kakashi's eyes widened at the request. In the months he'd known her, he'd never once seen her dance. But now, as a different person, she could? But before he could respond she had already started moving. He stood stock still and watched her. She was so beautiful, and he could almost imagine her own body dancing instead of this fake. But he was snapped out of his reverie when Lina impatiently pulled at his arms.

"Come on!" Lina did a quick twirl, but was stopped halfway by Nato's arms as he placed them on her waist. Throwing her head back she looked up at him and smiled.

"There we go."

Kakashi began to move even as he was enchanted by the girl in front of him, and soon they were moving in sync, her slowly gyrating on his body. Kakashi bent his head down to rest on her shoulder and gave her neck a soft kiss. Lina smiled happily and reached up to caress his head. Kakashi let his hands wander as his mind relaxed, and for a few moments nothing else mattered. It wasn't until Lina slapped his hands away from her breast and teasingly turned around with a grin that he understood.

"Uh uh uh." Lina tutted. "Not here." Yes, caught one! Lina smirked inwardly.

Kakashi let himself get led away to the bathroom, and he cringed. Was she really alright with having sex in a dirty bathroom? He cringed inwardly even more as he heard the moans coming from one of the other stalls, but he didn't let go of his façade. He wasn't going to let her be with anyone else, even if it meant the first time they were intimate again would be in a dirty place like this.

Lina shoved Nato into a stall and locked the door, heart racing. She could hear and smell the sex going on in the next stall, but she chose to ignore it. She reached up to Nato's face and pulled him down for a kiss. Ah, he was a good kisser. Lina smiled as she felt his hands start to wander and she quickly deepened the kiss, simultaneously fumbling at his pants.

Kakashi hated how fast this was going, that he couldn't take the time to relish in their coupling, but he was already straining in his pants. It was a good thing he was an expert shinobi, or he would have been worried that his henge would disappear halfway. Lina could never know that it was him who was touching her, breathing her scent, making her gasp like that. It was too soon.

Lina gasped at the tweak of a nipple through her clothes and she pulled Nato's face back down to meet hers in a searing kiss. He broke it off too soon for her liking, but quickly redeemed himself when he turned her around and pushed her against the stall wall and hiked up her miniskirt. Lina ground her hips against his growing bulge and smirked at the faint hiss he let out.

His fingers dove past her panties, silk by the feel of them, and began to run up and down her slit. She hadn't changed herself here, and he knew exactly how to satisfy her. Lina let out a heady moan and Kakashi clenched his jaw.

"You're so fucking wet." His voice, altered to a lower pitch, came out in a strained growl, and Lina giggled in front of him.

"What a dirty little mouth you've got there, Nato-san." Lina purred, and she felt his hands leave her for a second. In the next, something long and hard was rubbing on her from behind and she bit down on her lip. This was it. This was what she was looking for. With this, with him, she could forget about Kakashi. The thought hurt her so much her eyes stung, but she concentrated on the pleasure Nato was giving her.

"Please." Lina begged, and Kakashi plunged himself into her, both of them gasping.

"You're so tight-!" Kakashi whispered in Lina's ear, and she shivered. His hands found hers on the wall and they clasped together. After a moment, she began to move, and Kakashi quickly took control. Their moans echoed in the bathroom, the other couple gone now, and Kakashi used all his knowledge of Lina's weak spots to his advantage. He grazed his teeth against her shoulder before he sucked on her neck.

Lina dropped her head down and moved her hips in time with Nato's and she unconsciously urged him on. "Yes, yes!"

Kakashi heard Lina's altered voice and he gripped her tighter. "Lina…" It wasn't until she'd stopped that he realized he'd spoken.

"What did you call me?" Lina's eyes were alert and suspicious, and Kakashi cursed himself. Shit, shit! What did she call herself…

"Manami-"

"No. You called me Lina." Lina's eyes were squinted as she searched his face, but even in the semi-lit bathroom Kakashi could see when she figured it out.

"Kakashi…" Lina's voice showed her shock and betrayal, and Kakashi had no time to do anything before he was shoved off of her. He heard the stall door slam open, and saw she was already gone. He quickly pulled up his pants and rushed out after her.

"Lina, wait!" Kakashi was walking behind Lina, out of the club, and out onto the street. He quickened his step and caught her hand and pulled her to him. "Wait!"

"Don't!" Lina's eyes were fierce with anger, and Kakashi actually took a step back. In the next second she'd turned away again and he was following her.

"Lina, listen to me!"

"Why?!" Lina whirled around and Kakashi almost walked straight into her. "Why did you do this?! Is this fun for you? To see me happy, and to know that it's you? Does it give you some sort of high to show me how much you-" Lina stopped herself from finishing her sentence and turned away again, tears starting to form, but Kakashi pulled her back to him and held her in place.

"How much I what?" Kakashi searched her face for his answer, but Lina didn't speak. "How much I what?!"

"How much you affect me! How much you mean to me! Even now. Even like this..." Lina had stopped screaming, people were staring, but it didn't matter. She'd said it. And with her words, Kakashi's world became clear. The mist covering his eyes faded and he looked down at her with clear vision.

"I mean something to you…" Kakashi spoke quietly, and his hands loosened from her shoulders. Her face was down, but he saw tears fall to the ground, and she was shaking.

"Always…" Lina whispered.

Kakashi pulled her to him and held her tightly. Lina started to sob and she tried to push away, but Kakashi held on until she stopped resisting. Slowly, he felt her hug him back, and he tightened his grip on her. Soon she was holding onto him for dear life, and they stood like that in the middle of the street for forever and an instant. Kakashi pulled way and gently cupped her face. But it wasn't hers. He pulled her arms away from him and led her to a darkened alley, where they would not be found.

In the shadows he finally stopped and turned to her. "Take down your henge." He spoke softly, and Lina looked up with tearstained eyes. She looked down again and shook her head.

"I can't. My clothes won't fit."

Kakashi groaned and he nodded. He lifted her into his arms and set off at lightning speed, ignoring her yelp to let down. In a moment they were in the forest that surrounded the training areas, and he finally put her down.

"Take down your henge." Kakashi did so as well, but Lina hesitated.

"Why?"

"Please, Lina." Kakashi's voice, soft as cashmere, pleaded to her, and Lina looked up to see his eyes, his real eyes, looking at her with so much love that she couldn't bear to keep looking. She lowered her gaze and let down her henge. There was no point in hiding anymore-

Kakashi pushed Lina to a nearby tree trunk and mashed his lips to hers. Lina stiffened in shock, but Kakashi 's fingers in her hair and his lips on hers made her melt with a sigh. Kakashi groaned as he felt Lina wrap her arms around him, and he turned them so that he was now against the tree, her legs wrapped around him. Kakashi slowly sank to the ground as he kissed her. They pulled away for a moment, and Kakashi carefully pushed Lina's hair out of her face and brushed his thumb against her cheek.

"I love you." Kakashi's voice threatened to break with the emotion it held, and he saw Lina's eyes swim.

Lina couldn't speak from everything she felt, but she clearly heard him say those words. That had been real, right? Lina's eyes threatened to overflow with tears, and she silently nodded.

Kakashi pulled her back to him and placed his forehead against hers, looking at her closed eyes as he spoke again. "I love you." He watched a single tear fall from the corner of her eye before he buried his nose in her neck. Finally, she was his.

-the end

Author's Note: Aahhh, the feels! Yes yes, it was too short, not enough sex, but if I had put all of that in, then there would be nothing left for the main story! *wink wink* And yes, this is an alternate ending I suppose. Or just a quick fix for all of you who can't stand seeing how unhappy Lina and Kakashi are.

The reason I didn't want to keep this as a chapter was because, well, for one thing there are lots of issues these two need to work out before this even becomes a possiblity, and because, I personally don't like having Genma sell out his friend like that. In the previous chapter he told Katsumi that he considered Lina a friend. Even with a good cause, it wouldn't have been right for him to do what he did in this chapter. Speaking of Genma, I was going to make this chapter one where Genma's plan failed, and Lina got mad at him, but I like Genma, so I decided against it. It's much sweeter this way, don't you think?

Please review for this and the original Chapter 35 in Coming Home! Let me know if you would have preferred that Lina found out and couldn't forgive Genma, or did you like this version instead?

Hina