AN: This story was written for my friend i am the night angel. Her birthday was 2 months ago and here's her present! Ok, ok, I actually started it only a couple of weeks late, but I decided to not post here until it was finished. (Also I didn't want to be updating this at the same time I was updating Absolution. The main reason it took me so long to get her story written. :p)

In this story, you might need a little history in case it isn't obvious. Kakashi was married to Rin, and they had a son, Ranmaru. Rin died shortly after Ranmaru was born, leaving Kakashi to raise him alone, with the help of is friend Iruka. Hope you enjoy!

And I've decided to go ahead and post all three chapters at once, so you get to read it all now rather than having to wait.

Kakashi glanced back over his shoulder as he preceded his team through the village gate. Naruto had been sniping at Sasuke for about twenty minutes, and though Sasuke was ignoring Naruto as he usually did, Sakura had finally had enough. The sound of pain that came from Naruto, making Kakashi turn to look at his young students had clearly been caused by Sakura. Sighing, Kakashi turned back forward when he was sure the fighting wasn't going to get out of hand. He was always glad to return to the village after a mission, but he was even more happy to see the end of this one. Something must have been in the air, making his students clash even more than they usually did.

"Come on, Sakura! It's not like what I'm saying isn't true! Besides, I wasn't talking about you, why are you mad at me?" Naruto cried out behind him.

Sakura's reply was lost in the excited cries of Kakashi's rapidly approaching welcoming committee. "Father! Father! You're home!"

Grinning behind his mask, Kakashi dropped to one knee and spread his arms wide to catch his son as the boy hurtled himself into his father's arms. "Hello, Ranmaru," Kakashi chuckled in delight as he wrapped his arms tightly around his young son. "I am home, and glad to be. I missed you."

Squirming to get out of his father's grasp, the boy resumed speaking rapidly, words running together. "I'm glad you made it home in time. I was afraid you wouldn't be here for the entrance ceremony. You're going to come aren't you? You're not going to be busy with another mission?"

Kakashi let go of his son, looking down into familiar brown eyes that never failed to make him ache for so many things lost even as his heart welled with love for and pride in his five year old son. "I don't think the Hokage will send me out on a mission right after I come home from one. Besides, he knows you're entering the academy this year, and he'd not deny me the chance to attend the entrance ceremony."

Stepping back, Ranmaru propped his fists on his hips and looked sternly at his father, making Kakashi grin behind his mask again. "I'm glad you weren't late this time. You're always late!"

"That's because he likes to ruffle feathers," Iruka called as he ran up behind Ranmaru, panting.

Kakashi glanced up at the younger man and nodded a greeting before turning his attention back to his son. "I promised you I would be back in time for the entrance ceremony didn't I? And I always keep my promises."

"Yeah, Uncle 'Ruka said the same thing," Ranmaru sighed heavily. "I was still worried though."

Wrapping his arms around his son and standing up, Kakashi hugged the boy as he replied, "Well, you don't need to worry anymore, because I'm here now son."

Glancing back at his students who were still standing behind him, Kakashi shifted Ranmaru in his arms, settling the boy's weight on one of his hips. "You guys can head on home now, I'll turn in the report and let the Hokage know that you all did well on this mission.

Naruto, who had been watching the exchange between father and son with a sad longing in his eyes, brightened at the mention of being praised to the Hokage, then ran past Kakashi to Iruka, dragging the other man away for a talk. Sakura who had also watched the exchange, but with a tender smile, nodded her head, then smiled at Sasuke, stammering a goodbye before running off in the direction of her parents' home. Sasuke, having looked typically bored, grunted and turned, vanishing into the crowd.

"Can we go out for ramen tonight, Father?"

Kakashi sighed and turned back to look at his son. "I think you've been spending too much time with Naruto," Kakashi complained. When his son only grinned on reply, Kakashi laughed and shook his head. "I've got to go turn in my mission report, but I think your Uncle 'Ruka is taking Naruto to Ichiraku. If you ask nicely, he might let you tag along as well."

"You don't want ramen?"

"No Ran, not today. As I said, I need to get this report taken care of. I'll meet you and your Uncle 'Ruka later for some ice cream."

Squirming in his grasp, Ranmaru wrapped his arms as tightly as he could around his father's neck, hugging Kakashi tight enough to make breathing difficult. "Yay! We haven't had ice cream in a long time! Thank you, Father!"

Chuckling, Kakashi set his son on his feet and watched the boy dash over to Iruka, grabbing the chuunin's hand and tugging on it repeatedly as he talked. When Iruka lifted his head, looking in Kakashi's direction questioningly, Kakashi nodded and smiled. Lifting a hand, he waved to the three, then disappeared into the crowd, heading for the mission office to file his report, thoughts of spending some much needed quality time with his son filling his mind.

Kakashi heard his son's loud giggling before he managed to completely open the door. Stepping into the ice cream parlour, he stood to the side of the door so as not to impede the flow of traffic. Glancing in the direction the familiar laughter was coming from, Kakashi spotted his son and his friend sitting in a booth in the back corner of the small room, heads together as they discussed whatever it was that so amused the younger Hatake. Smiling, Kakashi started walking, never taking his eyes from the back of his son's head, watching the light play across unruly silver locks. Just before he reached the table, Iruka looked up and over his shoulder, smiling at Kakashi as he nudged Ranmaru. As his son turned an ice cream smeared face in his direction, Kakashi smiled and started walking a little faster. When he slid into the booth across from his son and his friend, Kakashi released a tired, yet content sigh.

Ranmaru turned in his seat, still grinning at Kakashi, his mother's brown eyes sparkling with his recent laughter. "Father, you missed it! Uncle 'Ruka and I raced to see who could eat their ice cream faster and I won!"

Pushing down the aching in his heart, Kakashi smiled at his son, catching the knowing, sympathetic look Iruka was directing him from the corner of his eye. "It looks to me like you smeared more on your face than you got in your mouth. Hardly seems like a fair win son."

"No, I ate all of mine! Uncle 'Ruka had to stop because his head hurt, so I win!" Ranmaru insisted, his face drawing up sternly, making him look more than ever like his mother with her eyes peering out of his young face.

"He's right, Kakashi. He beat me fairly. I should have known better than to challenge him I suppose. He is a Hatake after all."

Kakashi grinned at his son bowing up with self-importance, but addressed his comment to Iruka. "You really think that highly of me? I didn't you know cared so much, 'Ruka."

Glancing over at the younger man to see the scowl, Kakashi laughed then turned his attention back to his son, leaning over the table and taking up a napkin to begin wiping the ice cream from his face. "Ok Ranmaru, you won. I'm happy for you. How about next time, you find something to compete with your Uncle 'Ruka over that won't leave you such a mess. You haven't looked like this since you were a baby."

Fighting down a grin as his son scowled at him as he'd known the boy would, Kakashi leaned back in his seat, waiting to get yelled at, and not being disappointed. "I'm not a baby! I'm going to start at the Academy tomorrow, and I'm going to graduate this year too! I'm going to be the best ninja ever! Better even than you and Grandfather Sakumo. One day, when I'm grown up, I'm going to be the Hokage after Naruto!"

Kakashi lifted his eyebrows and turned his head slowly to look at Iruka, who was smiling at Ranmaru. "Hokage?"

Iruka looked over at Kakashi and shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "Naruto's always talking about being the next Hokage. I guess he made it sound too good for Ranmaru to resist." Turning his attention back to the boy, Iruka tugged at one of Ranmaru's sleeves. "I think you'd make a fine Hokage, Ran."

Sighing, Kakashi leaned back in the booth and lifted a hand to rub his right eye. "Well, I suppose there are worse ideas he could pick up from Naruto. If my son starts running around yelling and being a general pain in my ass, I'm holding you responsible, Iruka."

Hearing the rustling of clothes, Kakashi dropped his hand away from his face in time to see his son slip from the other side of the booth and launch himself at him. Used to his son's tendency to leap into his lap this way, Kakashi had learned long before how to adjust himself quickly and into what position to save himself serious harm when his son landed. Catching the boy, Kakashi ducked his head and nuzzled the the silver hair, taking in his son's scent through the cloth of his mask. Sliding his arms around the boy, Kakashi tugged his son against his chest, hugging him tightly and feeling a hole in him beginning to fill. He always hated being away from Ranmaru, and looked forward to each reunion and the filling of that hole that was Ranmaru's spot in his heart.

"How come you don't like Naruto, Father?"

"Oh, your father likes Naruto, Ran," Iruka interjected before Kakashi could speak, "he's just being a grumpy old bear because he's tired from his mission."

Ranmaru twisted around in his lap and looked up at Kakashi. "Is that right, Father?"

"Yes, it is. I would think you'd be tired by now too. It's well past your bedtime after all."

When Ranmaru turned back forward and sat pouting in his lap, Kakashi turned his gaze up to Iruka, smiling his thanks to his friend for stepping in and reading him better than he expected, allowing him to give his son the answer he was too drained to come up with. Iruka smiled back, understanding lighting his eyes again.

"You've got a very big day coming up tomorrow, Ranmaru, don't pout. You need your sleep."

"But Uncle 'Ruka, Father hasn't been home long!"

"Don't worry Ranmaru, I've got some time off. The Hokage agreed that Team 7 earned a small break, so we won't be going out on another mission for a week. I'll not only be here for the entrance ceremony tomorrow, I'll be here you walk you home at the end of each day for your first week. Now how about we go home, get you ready for bed so you'll be ready for tomorrow?"

Ranmaru turned his head again, looking up at his father, the light in his eyes warning Kakashi that the dealing was about to begin. "Will you read me any story I want first?"

"Ranmaru," Kakashi began.

"Father! You've been gone for a long time. I like when Uncle 'Ruka reads to me at night, but it's not the same as when you read to me."

Knowing he'd been defeated, Kakashi sighed and looked pleadingly at Iruka, as if the younger man could help. "Ok, Ranmaru. You have to promise me that you'll be quick about getting ready for bed, or else it will have to be a shorter story."

Sliding out of his father's lap, Ranmaru stood at the side of the table and looked back at his father, grinning. "Ok, I promise!" Turning abruptly, Ranmaru reached out for Iruka, and the moment the brunette slipped his hand into Ranmaru's the mischievous light filled his eyes again. "Will you come too, Uncle 'Ruka? I want you to read with Father!"

Smiling, Iruka started to shake his head, but the look Ranmaru was directing at him broke his resistance and Kakashi had to bite back a chuckle as the younger man's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Shouldn't you ask your Father first? He might be too tired after his mission to have company over."

"I don't mind, Iruka. Besides, you're not company, you're family now. You're like a second father to Ranmaru."

Iruka smiled at Kakashi and opened his mouth to reply, but whatever he was planning to say was cut off when Ranmaru gave his hand a hard tug. "Come on Uncle 'Ruka!" Turning to his father, Ranmaru held out his other hand. "Come on, Father! I want my story."

Chuckling, Kakashi took his son's hand and slid out of the booth as Iruka slid out as well on the other side. Ranmaru tugged them both out of the ice cream parlour, but once outside he settled back to walk peacefully between them, holding their hands tightly in his smaller hands. Kakashi looked at Iruka over Ranmaru's head, catching the younger man's eyes in the pale moonlight, feeling another hole he hadn't been aware of filling inside his heart. Smiling, Kakashi looked away, enjoying the moment, feeling like his family was closer to being whole than it had been since Rin had been taken from him so soon after Ranmaru's birth.