Snow settled onto the memorial stone, obscuring the writing. Kakashi brushed the dry powder from the stone and stared.
Did it always look so worn? He wondered. He had worse problems to deal with, but for some reason his mind locked onto that one question. He was having trouble thinking clearly, and the memorial stone dominated his mind.
Why am I standing in front of the memorial stone in a hospital gown?
He didn't have an answer. He'd just woken up in front of the stone a few minutes ago, almost naked and barefoot in the snow.
Something happened here, he thought.
The snow was falling fast, and a thin coat already covered Obito's name. Kakashi brushed the snow away again.
How did I get here?
The last thing he remembered was a blow to the head, white lights, and then darkness. Things looked wrong. The differences were subtle, but they were there. The fence was wrought iron instead of wood. The groundskeeper's shack had been painted white instead of green. There were other inconsistencies.
Kakashi knew every inch of the cemetery, or at least he thought he did. How bad was that head injury? He wondered.
A strong gust of wind swept the cemetery, stirring the snow and whipping the thin gown.
Some fucking underwear would have been good at least, he thought. How did I get here?
He noticed that his fingers were numb, only a tingle letting him know they were still there. Dry powder covered his feet, but he could see that they were swollen and blue. Not good. I need to get inside before I freeze. I'll have to figure this out later.
He could see Jiraiya's house, but as he took his first step his numb feet refused to hold him up.
I'm going to be the laughingstock of the afterlife if I freeze in our own cemetery.
He could see the warm light of Jiraiya's living room just beyond the gate. The old mansion had been there almost a century before the graveyard was built. The porch light flickered through the falling snow like a beacon in the night.
Kakashi felt irritated. The house was so close. He half walked, half crawled to Jiraiya's house, cursing whatever had happened to leave him like this.
He knocked on the door and waited. "Jiriaya, open up!" he yelled. His hand was too numb to feel the wood under it as he hit the door.
He heard movement in the house, but the door didn't open. He sat in the doorway and knocked louder. "Come on! It's freezing out here."
He leaned against the door. I'm so tired. How did this happen? He couldn't think any more. Kakashi held his shaking body with his arms.
When the door opened he fell into the house, landing on the floor. The warmth from the house was a sharp contrast to what he'd just left.
"Kakashi?" Jiraiya asked. "Why are you haunting me?"
"Ghosts don't get frostbite," Kakashi said. "I'd hope I'd at least get some clothes if I was dead. Sober up and help me."
Jiraiya pulled him into the house and onto the couch. "How did you get here?" he asked.
"I don't know. I just woke up standing in front of the memorial stone. I think I was out there for awhile. My hands and feet are numb. My ears and nose don't feel great either."
Kakashi saw Jiraiya hold his hand to examine it, but he couldn't feel much. "That looks bad," Jiraiya said. "Tsunade should be home soon. She can look you over then."
"What?" Kakashi asked. "Since when were you and Tsunade living together? That mission was only for a month. The last time I saw you two together she was yelling at you for something or other."
"It's…complicated," Jiraiya said. "There are a lot of things I'm going to have to wait to tell you. I need you to trust me on this."
"I can do that," Kakashi said. He yawned. "I'm going to sleep until she gets here."
"You have to stay awake until I get you warmed up," Jiraiya said. "You need to get into some clothes too. I'll be right back."
When he came back he saw that Kakashi had slumped on the couch and fallen asleep. He shook him gently. "Not yet," he said.
Kakashi sat up and flexed his fingers with a wince. "I'm feeling the fingers a bit. Hopefully Tsunade can save them."
"If anyone can, it would be her," Jiraiya said. "I have this robe. It's way too big, but it will do for now."
Kakashi fumbled with the hospital gown, but his shivering fingers wouldn't work well enough to pull it off.
Jiriaya helped him put the robe on over the gown. His hands felt like ovens to Kakashi's chilled skin. "That should help," Jiraiya said.
He threw a blanket in the dryer. Kakashi listened to the domestic sound of the dryer tumbling.
Jiraiya slipped room temperature bags of water under the robe, tucking them under Kakashi's armpits and on his groin near the femoral artery.
Kakashi didn't even realize his eyes had closed until he felt a cup at his lips and warm liquid pushing against his mouth.
"Swallow a bit," Jiraiya said. "It's just warm tea."
Kakashi drank, feeling the warmth spread to his stomach.
Jiraiya knelt and examined Kakashi's feet. "I don't think I should do anything here. I'm out of my depths. You could probably sleep now."
He lay down and Jiraiya put the warmed blanket over him.
He couldn't sleep well; the pain in his feet and hands kept pulling him back to wakefulness. Jiraiya was sitting in a wicker chair, watching him. Kakashi saw that the Sannin had a sad look.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Kakashi asked.
"A lot has changed since you were injured. This won't be easy."
"You're not making any sense," Kakashi said.
"Don't worry about it right now," Jiraiya said.
When Tsunade came in she gasped and dropped her purse. "Kakashi?" she asked.
"Yeah. Sorry to bust in on you like this, but I seem to be in some trouble."
"What happened?" she asked Jiraiya. "How did he get here?"
"I heard a knock at the door and there he was," Jiraiya said. "He has some bad frostbite."
Tsunade put her hands around a foot. "I have to do this slowly, or you could go into shock."
As feeling returned to his foot he hissed from the pain.
"I know," Tsunade said. "It will get better, but the tissues are damaged. You'll need to stay off your feet for at least a day. We can put you in the guest room until you're better. Take your time, sweetie. You can stay here as long as you need – the rest of your life if necessary."
"Thank you, Tsunade-sama, but I'm confused. When did you two start living together? Something is really off. Everything out there seemed just a bit different, and Jiraiya won't tell me anything."
She looked at Jiraiya. "You didn't tell him?"
"I don't know where to start," Jiraiya said. "I think we should let him get well and break the news slowly."
"I'm right here," Kakashi said. "Talk to me, please."
"There have been a lot of changes," Tsunade said. "Some of them are going to be very disturbing. You know I'd never do anything to hurt you; I need you to let us take care of you."
"I'm already disturbed," Kakashi said. "Do I have a choice here? Is this an order?"
"I can't give orders anymore," Tsunade said. "I'm not the Hokage now."
"When did that happen?' Kakashi asked.
"That's enough talking," Tsunade said. "Go to sleep. When you wake up we'll talk more. You can stay on the couch for now. I'll get the spare room ready."
He heard them talking quietly in the kitchen. Tsunade was crying. "I can't believe it," she said. "It's almost like I've had a son come home."
"He just showed up like a stray puppy," Jiraiya said. "I hope he'll be ok."
"I don't know," Tsunade said. "I can heal him physically, but I don't know how he's going to handle hearing about all the changes that he missed."
"How do we tell him about Sakura?" Jiraiya asked, "and Aria?"
Who the hell is Aria? Kakashi wondered.
"I don't know," Tsunade said. "We'll just have to break it to him slowly."
Kakashi couldn't stay awake any longer. Even the pain in his extremities couldn't keep him from succumbing to exhaustion.
When he woke the house was silent, save for the soft ticking of the living room clock. He tried to ignore the growing urgings of his bladder; he didn't want to deal with the pain walking to the bathroom would cause. He was lucky Tsunade had healed him. If she hadn't he might not have ever been able to walk or use his hands again.
He watched the clock tick slowly, and about 4 am he couldn't put off his need any longer. He hobbled slowly to the bathroom and relieved himself.
Did he really let her put a fuzzy purple toilet snuggy in here? Kakashi wondered. I knew he was whipped, but damn.
When he turned to the sink, he stared at the stranger in the mirror. His grandfather stared back.
Kakashi touched his face for the first time since he'd awakened, feeling the ridges and hills of wrinkles he'd never had before. His hair had changed from silver to the white of old age.
What the hell happened to me?
Jiraiya found him that way 2 hours later, sitting on the toilet and staring at his reflection. "Oh shit," Jiraiya said. "I didn't think of this happening."
"What kind of jutsu was used on me?" Kakashi asked. "Is this like your youth jutsu reversed or something?"
"Let's not talk about this here," Jiraiya said. "Come back to the couch and I'll get Tsunade. You aren't supposed to be on your feet anyway."
Kakashi found it harder to walk to the couch than it had been to get to the bathroom, and as Jiraiya helped him his stumbling steps were only more of a reminder of how much had changed. He sat on the couch, waiting. It felt just like when he was a child, waiting to speak to Obito's parents in their living room while their servant fetched them, or waiting for news about how his father's corpse was to be disposed. How many times had he waited for bad things?
He could hear Jiraiya and Tsunade talking in the next room. "I need your help," Jiraiya said. "He saw himself in the mirror. I have to explain, and I don't want to do this alone."
"I'm here for you, honey," Tsunade said. "It had to happen sooner or later. I just wish he could have had some more time."
They sat down across from the couch. Jiraiya fidgeted.
"Would you just tell me what happened already?" Kakashi asked. "What happened in that battle?"
"It wasn't the battle," Tsunade said. "You were hit in the head, and we couldn't wake you. You've been in a coma."
The truth began to soak in. "How long?" he asked.
"17 years," Jiraiya said.
"I'm 50?" Kakashi asked. "I lost almost half my life?"
"I'm sorry," Tsunade said. "You should probably wait to hear more."
"I heard you say something about Sakura last night. I want to know about her. I had something really important we needed to talk about when I got back from my mission. She probably thinks I blew her off."
Jiraiya and Tsunade exchanged a look. "You should probably find out the things that happened slowly," Tsunade said.
"Could you at least let Sakura know that I didn't forget her? It's important."
"I'm sure she knows," Tsunade said, her eyes tearing up again.
Jiraiya hugged Tsunade. "It's ok, baby. It's ok."
Kakashi lay down and put his arm over his head, hiding from the world. "I've had enough," he said. "I can't deal with any more right now."
"You don't have to," Tsunade said. "I'm going to let your friends know you're awake, and when you're able to see them I'll let them in. They all look a lot older. The Sannins are the only ones who use the youth jutsu."
"I need to report to the Hokage," Jiraiya said. "He should be awake by now."
"I'll stay here," Tsunade said. She kissed him. "We have Kakashi back. It's more than we really hoped for. The rest will work itself out in time."
Kakashi lay there, unable to sleep but not wanting to get up. He just wanted things to be the way they were. Everyone would be old, and he'd never gotten to talk to Sakura. He didn't want her to think she'd just been a one-night stand.
She's probably been married for decades. I wonder if she even really remembers me.
Jiraiya woke him with lunch. "No thank you," Kakashi said.
Jiraiya put his arm around Kakashi's shoulder. "I know how rough this must be, but it won't get better while you're physically down. Eat what you can."
Kakashi managed a few bites of the sandwich. It was tasteless and just fell on his stomach like a brick. He shook his head and handed the plate back to Jiraiya. "Later," he said. "My stomach isn't steady."
Jiraiya stopped him from lying back down. "I know you're depressed, but sleeping too much won't help. You're behind on the Icha-Icha series by 3 books, and I started a whole new series after that – Love and the Samurai."
He handed Kakashi a book, and he saw that the title was Icha-Icha Medic Nin. "That's the one that finally got Tsunade to accept me," Jiraiya said. "She heard that the book was about her, and she read it. I never could explain how I felt about her, and when she read it she just kissed me and never fussed about my books again."
"I'm glad you two worked that out," Kakashi said. He began to read.
"I knew that would get your attention," Jiraiya said. "Enjoy yourself today."
"Mmmm," Kakashi said, already distracted by the new book.
Tsunade came in, dressed in civilian clothing. "The Hokage wants to meet you," she said. "He's outside."
"Who is the Hokage now?" Kakashi said.
"Konohamaru," Tsunade said. "He's done a good job. We're a strong merchant village as well as a ninja village now."
When she opened the door he didn't recognize Konohamaru. "Asuma?" he asked.
Konohamaru laughed. "I guess I do look like my uncle," he said. "He and dad were twins. I'm glad to see you back. How are you feeling?"
"Confused," Kakashi said. "I want to see my friends, especially Haruno Sakura."
"I'll see what I can do," Konohamaru said. "I'm deferring to Tsunade on this. Don't start training until she clears you. I'll have to make sure you're briefed on all that you missed."
"I understand," Kakashi said.
After he left, Kakashi said, "it's amazing how much he looks like Asuma."
"He's more serious," Tsunade said. "He's incredibly driven. He acts more like his grandfather than his father."
"It seems like Konoha is in good hands then," Kakashi said. "I feel better about that."
"Gai wanted to come over later," Jiraiya said. "Do you think you're up to it?"
"Yeah. I can't imagine Mr. Youth getting old. I wonder if he'll still make up stupid challenges for me."
"He's managed to stay young-at-heart," Jiraiya said. "He's Head of the Academy."
"That sounds about right," Kakashi said.
He buried himself in Jiraiya's book. It wasn't the first time he'd hidden from reality inside a novel.
Gai's smile fell when he saw Kakashi. "Wow," he said. "I guess we both got old, huh?"
"I'm still not used to it," Kakashi said. "Tell me about yourself. What did I miss?"
"I work at the Academy now," Gai said. "I may not be young anymore, but I can help the youth."
"How is Lee?"
"He married a civilian named Kishiko. He actually used 7 of the gates once and survived. He had a hard time for a few years after Sakura's death, but…" he stopped at the shock on Kakashi's face.
"She's dead?" he asked.
"Oh god. I'm so sorry. I assumed you knew."
Kakashi barely heard Gai. Sakura was dead, and she'd probably died thinking he'd just used her for sex.
"Kakashi?" Gai asked.
"Sorry. That just comes as a shock," Kakashi said. "I can't believe I'll never see her again."
"Do you want me to leave you with your grief?" Gai asked.
"Yes," Kakashi said. "It's good to see you, but I have to think about this."
Jiraiya had stayed in the kitchen to give them some privacy. When he came back he found Kakashi sitting slumped on the couch, his head in his hands.
"Sakura's dead," he said. "She's dead and I didn't even get to say goodbye. How long ago did it happen?"
"It's been about 7 years," Jiraiya said.
"Did she have a good life?"
"She ran the hospital for a few years, and she made Jounin a year before she died. She never got over your death, but her daughter helped her get by."
"She had a daughter? I'm glad for her; she deserved a family."
Kakashi didn't miss the signs of deception on Jiraiya's face.
"You never could fool me," he said. "What are you hiding from me?"
"It's not that I want to hide anything from you," Jiraiya said. "It's just that I'm concerned about how much you can handle."
"I'm going to find out, and I'd rather not hear anything else like I learned Sakura died."
"Sakura gave the girl her father's name. Hatake Aria."
"Hatake? You mean I have a daughter?"
"Yes. Sakura said you were the father. Aria reminds me of you – at least the younger you, before you got the Sharingan."
"I was a real asshole back then," Kakashi said. "Are you trying to tell me nicely that she's a jerk?"
"She's intense," Jiraiya said. "After Sakura died she became obsessed with revenge against Orochimaru for killing Sakura and injuring you. She's a good girl; she's just kind of – well – dark."
"I can't believe I failed Sakura and a daughter I didn't even know I had. It might have been better if I never woke up."
"You've been blaming yourself for everything bad that happened in your life since you were a kid. Your father decided to kill himself, and Obito decided to save your life. Those were their choices. I know that if you had been able you would have been a good father."
"I hope she'll let me get to know her," Kakashi said.
"I think she will," Jiraiya said. "Sakura made you out to be a real hero. Aria kept all your things. She always hoped you'd wake up."
"I'd like to speak to her," Kakashi said. "I hope she doesn't hate me."
"Weren't you listening? She idolizes you."
"I don't deserve it," Kakashi said.
"Well, you're just as emo as you were before the injury," Jiraiya growled. "No sense looking on the bright side when there is so much darkness to wallow in, huh?"
"Sorry. I'll work on it."
"I shouldn't be so hard on you," Jiraiya said. "You just sound so much like Aria right now. She drives me nuts sometimes."
"You two are close?" Kakashi asked.
"After Sakura died Aria lived with Tsunade and me for a couple years. She moved back into her childhood house when she was 13. We tried to talk her out of it, but she has a stubborn streak a mile wide – like someone else I know. I'll go speak with her. You don't worry too much about it, if that's possible."
She wasn't at her house, of course. Jiraiya couldn't remember the last time he could find Aria anywhere other than her lab. He made his way to Orochimaru's abandoned house and spoke with the ANBU guard.
"I love the way you two have brightened the place up," he said.
"Do you mean the paint outside?" Dog asked. "The Hokage thought we should make the house look less clandestine. The inside looks the same. Aria doesn't care about things like that."
"She doesn't have much of a sense of aesthetic, does she?" Jiraiya asked.
"She's busy with more important things," Dog said. "She does critical work."
"She's always too busy," Jiraiya said. "I hope she learns to slow down and experience life."
"I wish she would," Dog said. "I worry about her."
"I hope you don't worry too much to remember your duty," Jiraiya said. "I know you care for her personally, but don't forget that the reason you're here is because her experiments are top security. She needs an ANBU, not a friend."
"I've never forgotten my duty yet," Dog said. "I think you're wrong about her not needing a friend. She's here all the time. When is the last time you knew her to talk to anyone about anything except work?"
"It's been a long time," Jiraiya said. "I see her when she's not busy, but she hasn't really talked to me seriously in years."
"That's because she's always here. I don't know what she's doing in there, but she's been acting weirder over the last few months."
"I have something to tell her that might help," Jiraiya said. "Her father came out of his coma."
"Are you serious? That's wonderful! Maybe she'll quit being so obsessed with whatever it is she's doing in there."
Jiraiya didn't like Orochimaru's house. He never had, but was worse now than ever before. The outside of the house had been painted, but the inside had been left to decay. Aria had taken it over as her lab years ago, usurping Orochimaru's work with her own. Since no one lived there and Aria didn't care about the place it had been left to rot. One corner of the living room had fallen in, leaving insulation hanging onto the floor. An old, dusty sofa was the only furniture in the room.
"She really made the place look homey," Jiraiya said. "I'm going to make sure she's taking care of herself."
He headed toward the kitchen. A worn table that was probably there since Orochimaru's time leaned precariously. Wallpaper stained brown with age peeled from the wall, and the stove was obviously broken, with the filthy door hanging on one hinge. A microwave and toaster gleamed on the counter, a contrast to the decay around them. A mini-fridge hummed in the corner, near the full sized fridge that he guessed was broken.
"You act like I'd let her starve," Dog said. "You know I care about her. I'd do something to make this place more cheerful if she'd let me. She told me not to touch anything in the house, and when I wear the mask she's my boss."
"I know," Jiraiya said. "She's my goddaughter, and I just want to see for myself."
He opened the mini-fridge to see it fully stocked. "At least she eats properly," Jiraiya said.
"I buy good food," Dog said. "You do this every year about this time. Stop worrying so much. I'm not going to let her starve."
"You're a good kid, Dog. Does she know how you feel about her yet?"
"No, but I hope that after Orochimaru is dead we can be together."
Jiraiya thought that if Dog wasn't wearing a mask he'd probably see pain there.
"I'm willing to wait," Dog said
The lab's entrance was a door with an old-fashioned hatch. It had been reinforced with thick steel, and stood 8 feet high.
"She doesn't take any chances," Dog said.
Dog pressed a buzzer. "Aria, Jiraiya-sama wants to see you."
Static filled the air.
"Aria?" Jiraiya said into the intercom. "I need to speak with you. It's important."
"Can't right now," Aria said. She was breathing fast. "I'm in the middle of a vital experiment."
"I wouldn't bother you if I didn't have to," Jiraiya said.
"It has to wait," she said. Jiraiya and Dog heard a crash in the room.
"Do you need help?" Dog asked.
"No, things are getting difficult in here," Aria said. "I can handle it."
Something hit the door, leaving a dent shaped like a large hand. "I have to go," Aria said. "Come back tomorrow."
Dog pressed the buzzer again, but this time there was no answer. "I'm sorry, Jiriaya-sama, but when she gets like this she won't come out until she's finished. It's locked from the inside. You'll have to wait."
"What do you think made that dent?" Jiraiya asked.
"I don't know. She won't tell me anything about her work. She reports to the Hokage, but she's close mouthed about these experiments."
"Maybe her father can help set her straight," Jiraiya said. "She started getting weird after Sakura-kun died. Having a father might help."
"I'll be back." He looked at the dent in the door. "I just hope she hasn't gotten herself in too deep."
When he got home Tsunade was sewing, making another of those annoying little lace doilies she liked so much. After she hit 60 she'd developed old lady habits. I hope she doesn't sew one of those to cover my coffin, he thought.
"How is Kakashi?" Jiraiya asked.
"He's sleeping. His feet still hurt, but he could walk more if he tried. He's too depressed right now. Can you take over? If we're going to be feeding one more I need to go shopping."
Jiraiya stood in the doorway of the guest room, looking at his friend sleeping. He remembered a vibrant, powerful young man, but now Kakashi was a broken, sad shadow of who he had been.
"Get up," he said. "It's 2 in the afternoon. You were a mopey kid, and a mopey adult, and now you're a mopey middle-aged man. In 30 years you'll probably be a mopey old fart. Let's get out of here and have a beer."
Kakashi sat up and scratched his head. He looked away from Jiraiya. "I can't quit thinking about Sakura. I'm afraid she died thinking I didn't care about her. I left her with a baby to raise alone."
"She didn't raise Aria alone," Jiraiya said. "Aria spent more time playing at Naruto's house than she did at her own place. Before Sakura died Aria had lots of friends and even a couple little boyfriends. One of them is still waiting for her to realize she loves him."
"What happened after Sakura died then?" Kakashi asked.
"Tsunade and I took her in. Aria needs you, but she didn't lack for love. She still doesn't. She's just in that shithead stage kids go through. She'll grow out of it."
If she doesn't get herself killed first, Jiraiya thought. He had a bad feeling about anything that could change a person this much. He wished she'd never started doing those experiments she was so into.
"Did Sakura ever say anything about what happened between us?" Kakashi asked. "I hate thinking about how we left things. It was just something that happened. Somehow our relationship changed over a few months; we got closer, and then one night after a party she ended up at my house. I woke up late for a mission and had to rush off. I told her I'd talk to her when I got back, but that's what every guy says when he's done. I never told her I loved her."
Jiraiya saw how dead Kakashi's eyes looked, empty and dark. "Your teammates said the only thing you said before you passed out was her name. She knew how you felt. She hung onto that the rest of her life."
"I guess that's something," Kakashi said.
"I know this is sudden. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"I don't think so," Kakashi said. "I'd like to see Naruto and Asuma. I want to know how they're doing. It hurts, but I can walk."
"I saw Naruto yesterday, and he's so excited he can barely stand it. He wants you to meet his children, and he'll probably talk your ear off. He could come over here, but it would be good for you to get out. He doesn't live far away."
"He and Hinata had kids, huh? Who do they take after?"
"They take after him physically, mostly. They have his attitude, except for the youngest. She's as shy as Hinata, and she looks just like her."
"How many are there?" Kakashi asked.
"They had four kids – three boys and a girl. Do you want to go over there later?"
"Tomorrow," Kakashi said. "I don't feel up to it tonight."
"You won't feel up to it tomorrow either," Jiraiya said. "It's not disloyal to Sakura to enjoy something. I'll go to the Hyuuga compound and see when he and Hinata will be home."
"I'd rather see Naruto first," Kakashi said. "I never knew Hinata very well. I want a chance to talk to Naruto without her around."
"Come on then. Get your mopey ass out of bed and get cleaned up. I'll be back later, and I expect you to be awake and ready to go."
Kakashi heard Tsunade in the kitchen. With the way she'd been acting he expected to find her doing something domestic, so he was surprised to find her reading the first Icha-Icha book.
She started when he snickered, and she covered the book with her arm quickly. "I was just…it's not…" She composed herself. "It's none of your business."
"I told you those books were good," Kakashi said. He sat at the table. His feet still gave him trouble.
"You were right," she said. "How are you feeling?"
"Poorly," Kakashi said. "I'm grateful to you two. I don't know what I'd do without you right now."
"You won't ever have to know," she said. "This is your home for as long as you need it."
He couldn't remember her being this sentimental before. He put it down to old age. She must be 70 or 80 now. With the youth jutsu he'd never been sure of her age.
"Thank you, Tsunade-himi."
"Do you have any plans yet?" she asked.
"The most important thing right now is to try to be Aria's father, if she'll accept me. Other than that I just want to get back to training as soon as my feet can handle it. How is my body as fit as it is? I should have acute atrophy."
"A physical therapist worked with you every day. We couldn't keep your body up to the levels it would be if you were training, but we managed to keep your muscles flexible. You are still a valuable tool. " She smirked. "When you've trained for a while we should spar."
"Er…I don't know if that's a good idea."
"Why? Do you think I'm just an old lady who can't defend herself anymore?" She picked up her knitting needles from the table, spun them around and struck, stopping just before she would have put out his eye.
He blinked at the metal in front of him, which he'd barely even seen move. "No ma'am. I know better."
"That's good. I'd hate for you to be too surprised when I kick your ass."
Some things never change, he thought.
When Jiraiya came back he found Kakashi in his dojo, testing his body, with Tsunade spotting him. "Are you sure you're ready for that?" he asked.
"Tsunade healed my hands. They aren't having any problems; it's only the feet that are slow healing. This makes me feel like I'm doing something useful.
Tsunade finally left to do her shopping.
"Naruto said the kids will be home about 5 and Hinata won't be back from her mission for a while. We have about an hour and a half if you want to see him alone."
The walk to Naruto's was surreal. Things were almost right, but not quite. The convenience store that would sell him beer after hours was gone. He saw a new flower shop where his favorite bar had been.
"What happened to The Blue Azalea?"
"It burned down. We had some wild times there, didn't we?"
"Yeah. Is Icharaku's still around?"
"That place isn't going anywhere. Ayame runs it. She introduced a few new recipes. We should go over there sometime."
A new rose garden, an art museum, and a trendy coffee shop made him wonder how much the village had grown. "Konoha got some class, huh?"
"That's Konohamaru's influence. He wants us to be more than a military village. We actually have a tourist industry. Konoha is thriving, and we're still strong."
"How did Naruto take not being Hokage?" Kakashi asked.
"He said he's going to outlive Konohamaru and be the next Hokage. They're rivals now. It's cute – kind of reminds me of you and Gai. They take turns ambushing each other and yelling "if you were my enemy you'd be dead." It keeps them on their toes."
It took them a long time to reach the Hyuga compound, and what would have been a five minute walk turned into a 30 minute broken stroll as Kakashi stopped at various places to rest.
They approached the Hyuuga compound. "They didn't change anything here," Kakashi said.
"This place has been the same for over a hundred years. It's not going to change. Naruto's place is really nice. Hanabi is the head of the clan, but Hinata-himi and Naruto have done well for themselves."
Naruto barreled out of his house, running full into Kakashi as he tried to hug him. They both fell on the ground, Naruto laughing and Kakashi trying to get back the breath Naruto had just knocked out of him. A few Hyuga passed by, glanced over, and walked on. Naruto overacting is probably still normal, Kakashi thought.
"Come inside!" Naruto said. "I have so much to tell you."
Jiraiya helped him up.
"Did I hurt you?" Naruto asked.
"No. My feet are just a bit problematic." Naruto put his arm around Kakashi's waist, taking him from Jiriaya, and lead him into the house.
He got old too, Kakashi thought.
The house was formal, with hardwood floors and delicate paintings of birds and cherry trees. Kakashi could see the influence Hinata's breeding had on their house. There wasn't a bit of orange to be seen. Even Naruto's wardrobe had changed, and he wore the classic camo uniform.
"Come to the back," Naruto said. "This is the fancy room for guests. Hinata insists. She's a diplomat now."
"She always was a peaceful person," Kakashi said. "Let me just sit a minute." The couch was deep and comfortable, and while Naruto went to the kitchen to get them drinks he dozed off.
He had fallen asleep sitting up, but when he woke he lay on the couch with Jiriaya's oversized shoes off and his shirt opened. Naruto and Jiriaya chatted nearby.
"How long was I sleeping?" he asked.
"Just a half hour," Naruto said. "Why don't you rest?"
Kakashi didn't like the worried looks on his friends' faces. He was already getting tired of being cared for.
"I can rest later. I want to know what I've missed."
They went through a formal dining room into a shabbier room - intentionally shabby, Kakashi thought. "This is the man-cave," Naruto said. "You like it?"
The wood paneled walls were covered with tools and posters of a half-dressed pop star. A work bench dominated one wall; it was filled with carpentry tools.
"You do carpentry now?" Kakashi asked.
"Sometimes it's nice to hide in here. The wife and kids aren't allowed. I love the family, but I need to get away sometimes."
Kakashi looked at the opposite wall covered in family pictures. Naruto was in most of them, grinning with Hinata or children who looked like them, one with his spiky blond hair. A smaller girl tended to hide in the back or almost off camera.
"I'm glad you have a family," Kakashi said.
"It's awesome. I never had a family growing up, and now I have a huge one. I never know what's going to happen day to day. You can meet them all later."
On a corner of a small desk sat a picture of Sakura. It was framed with a black ribbon. Kakashi picked it up. She had the beginnings of wrinkles, but her smile looked genuine. Her eyes had grown somber and somehow more beautiful in her grief.
"She never gave up on you," Naruto said. "She always told Aria you'd wake up. Do you know about Aria?"
"I haven't met her, but I've been told she's a stubborn, difficult girl. Sounds like me when I was younger."
He picked up a picture next to the morning photo. Sakura and Naruto posed with a very serious looking girl of about 7. She had long white hair, green eyes, and a large forehead.
"I guess this is Aria?"
"Yes. I wanted to be her sensei, but she was already ANBU at 8. Sakura always wanted her to follow in your footsteps. She made Jounin when she was 15."
"I'm proud of her already," Kakashi said. "I just wish I could have been a part of it."
"No one blamed you," Naruto said.
Kakashi settled into a folding chair, feeling his feet throb. He found another picture with all of Naruto's family posing with Sakura and Aria when Aria must have been about 10. "You and Hinata really made them family, didn't you?" he asked.
"We did our best," Naruto said. "These photos of Hinata and Aria aren't recent. Hinata gained some weight after the last baby was born, and she won't let anyone take pictures now. We don't see Aria much anymore."
"Why is that?" Kakashi asked.
"She doesn't see much of anyone anymore. She's so focused on her work she doesn't come out much. I don't know what she's doing. All she said is when she's done she'll be able to kill Orochimaru."
"I heard things like that earlier," Kakashi said. "It sounds ominous."
"Orochimaru killed Sakura, and Aria-chan has never forgotten it," Jiriaya said.
They heard the front door slam. "Naruto!" Kakashi heard from the living room. "We're here. Are you ready?"
"I told her to make sure the kids were here about this time," Naruto said. "I wanted to see you alone first. The kids are kind of a handful." They went to an informal parlor, much more homey and welcoming than the official guest reception area.
Hinata stood with Naruto's children. She had lost her young figure, and she had a matronly look. A long black dress with a purple scarf helped her conceal her figure, but Kakashi thought she still looked vibrant.
"We're all glad you're back," she said. "I'd like to introduce our children."
When did she become so formal? He wondered. It was a trait of the older Hyuugas. She was more confident than she was a child.
The three boys fidgeted while the girl ducked her head shyly. She was an almost exact copy of Hinata.
"The youngest is Edno," she said, pointing to the tallest. He bowed briskly. "Then there's Ai." She ruffled the oldest boy's hair. "This is our eldest son. His name is Kakashi."
Kakashi's eyebrow rose. "Really? Well, sorry for that kid." He grinned. "I bet you're a real hit with the ladies, huh?"
"I have a girlfriend," the boy said.
"He has a few," Naruto said. "I'm glad we didn't name him Jiraiya. We'd have some real problems."
"And this is Sakura-chan," Hinata said. The girl bowed and met his eyes.
"You were named after an amazing woman," Kakashi said.
"I know, sir. I hope to live up to the name."
"You're Aria's father?" Edno asked.
"And you can really split lightening in half?" Ai asked. "Oba-Sakura said you were the best ninja ever."
"She said that, did she?" Kakashi asked. I'll never see her split a mountain again.
Dammit Obito! He thought as the tears threatened to flow again. He cleared his throat. "Where is your bathroom?"
Naruto told him, and Kakashi made his way there as quickly as possible, controlling himself until the door was closed. A few minutes later he was composed again, at least outwardly, but even after he quickly washed his face the evidence of tears and slightly swollen eyes remained.
The adults were alone in the sitting room.
"We sent the kids off to stay with their friends tonight," Naruto said.
"You didn't have to do that on my account," Kakashi said.
"We entertain dignitaries, and they are used to leaving for a day or two," Hinata said. "They are too energetic for many people."
"Nice kids," Kakashi said. "I'd love to see them spar sometime."
"Don't let Sakura-chan fool you; she's a tiger on the field. Edno signed the Frog contract. Kakashi studies a lot. He's a real nerd; takes after his namesake." Naruto grinned.
"What about the middle one. What was his name?"
"Ai. He's just like me when I was a kid. Gets in a lot of trouble. He defaced the Hokage monument last year."
"That sounds familiar."
The visit stretched on until Jiraiya and Naruto were talking about old times, and Hinata was watching Naruto with the same distant adoring look she'd had when they were children. Kakashi was almost quiet, listening and watching and trying to absorb too much information at once.
Just as Hinata was suggesting that they eat dinner they heard a loud snore from the couch. Kakashi was sitting up, but his head had dropped onto his chest. He continued to snore, making a couple of snorts and staying fast asleep.
"This might have been too much for him," Jiraiya said. "It took him 30 minutes to get here. I should probably take him home."
Jiraiya shook him by the shoulder. "Hey, wake up. We're going to head out."
Kakashi woke slightly, but his eye was even droopier than his normal lazy look. He looked at Naruto.
"Sensei?" he asked. "I thought you were dead."
"It's Naruto," Naruto said. "Don't you remember?"
"Yeah. You look so much like him. I guess I got confused."
Jiraiya helped him stand, but Kakashi swayed and had to cling to him for support. He lowered Kakashi back onto the couch. "Is it your feet?" he asked.
"Yes, and I feel weak suddenly."
"I'll go to the hospital and get a wheel-chair," Jiriaya said.
"Nonsense," Hinata said. "I'll get a guest-room ready for him."
"Which one?" Naruto asked.
"The one for honored guests of course," Hinata said. "It's the only one appropriate."
Naruto shook his head. "Use the one for family members that we actually like."
Kakashi chuckled. "I don't want to impose. If you give me some time I'll be fine; I'm sure."
Naruto sat on the couch next to him and put an arm around him, pulling his own arm over his shoulders so he could lift him.
"I just wish we could do more," he said.
Kakashi was sleeping almost as soon as he hit the sheets.
"It's only six o'clock," Jiraiya said. "I don't want to mess up his sleeping schedule, but I think he probably won't wake till morning.
"I'll see if I can find him some clothes that don't make him look like an actual scarecrow," Naruto said.
"I was always larger than him, and he's lost weight," Jiraiya said. "Tsunade will probably want to check on him."
When he got home Tsunade was fuming. "Where have you been? I've been worried sick."
"I took Kakashi over to visit Naruto," Jiraiya said. "He gets depressed easily, and I know the signs when I see them. He was too worn out to come back, so they're letting him stay there tonight."
"He shouldn't have been out!" Tsunade said. "He hasn't been out of bed except for physical therapy in almost two decades!"
Jiraiya shrugged. "Hindsight is 20/20. What's done is done. I think it was good for him to spend time with them.
"I'll go take a look at him, and he'll probably be fine, but no more outings until he's stronger, ok?"
"He always had to push himself," Jiraiya said. "If you try to lock him up it will just make him stir-crazy."