Author's note: it's been hard to get information on exactly when the third war began and also when exactly Sakumo died. I ended up just picking a timeline that worked with the story I wanted to tell and I am sticking with it regardless if I missed something or other that says otherwise. Sakumo in the timeline I choose failed his mission around the time Kakashi graduated (at 5) and took about a year to decide to commit suicide just when Kakashi was promoted to chunin.

Also Kakashi hasn't and won't meet either Rin, Obito, or Minato for a good while into this story. As according to the wiki and the early info from the manga/databooks he graduated at 5 and became chunin at 6. Yet Obito who is the same age as him didn't graduate until he was 9 same with Rin. I am aware of Obito's memories/delusions showing him present at a chunin exam where Kakashi was present. I am choosing to interpret it one of three ways. Either 1. The chunin exam in question were for Rin and Obito and Kakashi participated as their teammate despite already being a chunin himself. 2. The chunin exams were the same as Obito's later memories that were clearly delusions. Or 3. The exams were actually the jonin exams and not the chunin after all. Regardless I am sticking with Kakashi having not meet any of his teammates (beyond seeing them briefly at the academy they certainly aren't friends) at this point it's not something I am going to change.

And for my final note before the story this story is very heavily inspired by "chasing a legend" by voiceofsummer some parts of the story are more inspired than others. If I get that far into the story I am sure a person how reads both stories won't have any problems determining what I am talking about. So yeah I very highly recommend "Chasing a legend" though a word of warning it ends rather abruptly as the author lost interest in continuing it. It does have an ending but some things are left unexplored that were clearly going to be fleshed out before it was decided to be discontinued.

chapter one: A Fate avoided

Kakashi Hatake grinned as he officially became a chunin "congratulations kashi" Sakumo said smiling though it seemed strained he looked more focused and clear headed than he had since shortly after that disastrous mission.

"Thanks father" Kakashi said smiling his smile was equally forced as he still wasn't sure what to think of the decision his father had made. "Some of my friends want to celebrate my advancement the ones that…" Kakashi trailed off as his thoughts turned to those former friends that didn't want anything to do with the child of the disgraced Sakumo. "I'll be back late ok?" Kakashi asked.

"Sure thing Kashi" Sakumo said using Kakashi's nickname. "And don't worry about your friends I'll take care of everything." With one last smile this one seemed genuine if rather sad Sakumo took his leave.

Kakashi frowned something telling him that something was wrong but as his friends swamped him he almost put it out of his mind and let them drag him off to some new food place to celebrate.

"Hey guys" he said as the group thinned out after a few minutes "I have to go check on something go on without me."

"What but this is your party it won't be the same without you" Genma protested.

"I'll just be a moment and I am sure Guy can celebrate in my place for a little while I'll catchup." Kakashi said as he un-entangled him self from the group.

"Yosh, if I can not then I will do 100 pull-ups with my pinkies."

"Don't be too long" Kurenai called

"I won't" Kakashi promised as he ran off. His thoughts already on his father's strange words what had he meant, he'd take care of it, what did he plan to do? A nameless dread settled in Kakashi's stomach and he ran faster to his house.

His sense of urgency grew greater the longer it took to arrive by the time he reached the Hatake's compound little more than a single building he was so scared that he burst into the house with out slowing. "Father" he called desperately "Father" he called again.

"Kakashi" his father appeared from his study "What are you doing here?" he asked alarmed probably because of the desperation that still hadn't left Kakashi's face.

Kakashi sighed in relief father was fine and why shouldn't he be? Kakashi felt like laughing he'd been so scared and there had been no need.

"You shouldn't be here" Sakumo said and for the first kakashi noticed that rather than calming down as Kakashi had Sakumo was just getting more agitated and he hadn't looked directly at him since he had first arrived. Once again unease settled into Kakashi "why? Father what's wrong" Kakashi asked

"You shouldn't be here." Sakumo said again as if Kakashi hadn't spoken "you shouldn't have to see."

"See what" Kakashi asked again his fear making him breathless

"Its better this way Kashi its better" Sakumo murmured gazing at Kakashi for the first time and his eyes glinted in resolve. "You need to go" Sakumo said before tuning and reentering his study.

Kakashi followed him into the study easily as his father hadn't bothered to close the door his whole body quivering with that same nameless dread that had pulled him here. His father had never been the same since that mission which was part of why he had such a hard time knowing how to act toward him but some how he knew he mustn't leave.

His father's desk usually so clean was full of crumpled papers that had to be rejected drafts of some letter and one piece of paper that seemed finished. His father was looking of into space as he often did seeming to contemplate the various weapons hanging on the wall perhaps remembering past battles.

It went against everything his father had told him but Kakashi found himself being drawn to his fathers desk he felt sure, without knowing how he knew, that the desk and the finished letter had the answers to his fathers behavior and his own fears that were making it so hard to breath.

As he finally came close enough to read it with his eyes Kakashi gasped and his blood ran cold as he realized what he was seeing. For what felt like a long moment Kakashi felt frozen as his fear suddenly had a name. Then the scrape of metal against metal broke his shock as he spun around.

"Father no" Kakashi screamed

His father finished pulling a tanto from the wall turning to face him with determination hard in his eyes. "Go" he said than he moved to kneel in the center of the room he didn't move fast but without hesitation and as unstoppable for the 6 year old newly made chuunin as the rising of the sun in the morning. Kakashi's was frozen he couldn't stop it how could he? His father was faster stronger and better than him in every way and once he decided on a course of action he was unstoppable.

But they didn't call Kakashi a genius for nothing as his mind hit on a way perhaps the only way. "Alright than father than I'll follow you" Kakashi said forcing calm into his voice and a resolve that could match his father he drew a kunai.

His father looked up surprised pausing just before he would have plunged the blade into his stomach.

"What?" Sakumo asked confused.

"I am going to follow you into death father."

"What are you talking about don't be stupid." Sakumo yelled angry.

"You don't be stupid you want to clear your honor than I will too." Kakashi replied trying to sound firm.

Could he do it? He wondered could he really follow his father into suicide if his father died what would be the point of dying as well. It wouldn't stop his father from being dead and who knew how the next life worked or if they would even be together. If his father hadn't been shaken from that mission he would have probably called Kakashi's bluff and noticed his lack of resolve he was trying to hide. But if he hadn't been shaken he'd probably never of considered suicide in the first place or so Kakashi hoped.

"I won't let you it's my dishonor you haven't done anything." Sakumo yelled

"You can't stop me if you're dead." Kakashi yelled back panting his grip on the kunai tightened "and I have dishonored myself I have let myself doubt you father as your son it was my responsibility to be there for you and I failed."

"Kakashi" Sakumo said quietly "I am doing this for you, my mistakes shouldn't hold you back." His grip on the tanto tightened and Kakashi placed his kunai to his own throat. For a moment they both held their pose so motionless they might have been carved of granite.

"if you do this not only will your mistakes hold me back but you'll never be able to make it right again." Kakashi licked his lips this was it the next few seconds would decide the matter for sure, he knew his father wasn't one to be conflicted for long, his next words might make all the difference for good or ill. Yet he didn't have the words a genius he might have been but he at the moment he felt how short his life had been "I'd rather live with a mistake you can fix than one you can't"

"I can't fix the other mistake in the village's eyes." Sakumo cried "they won't ever forgive or forget as long as I am still alive. And they will turn their hatred on you."

"Then let me take their hatred you can fix it in my eyes please that all I need father." Kakashi begged. Sakumo looked at Kakashi for a long moment and then with a loud yell threw his tanto to the side. In the next moment Kakashi wasn't sure what exactly happened but his father was hugging him and he was no longer holding his kunai.