Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not to a 15 year old struggling with Algebra.

Note: Just a little something to tide all you Naruto Fans over while I rework/update "Bonds". Patience is a virtue, hang in there.

Kakashi is 18, and his mentor has just died. Minato was not his birth father, but he raised him. Minato was 30, having died in a gang dispute to protect his newborn son. His wife, Kushina, died in childbirth, leaving Naruto alone. Sarutobi, the boys grandfather, is too old to care for Naruto properly, and since Kakashi is legally on his own, Sarutobi give Naruto to him.

Kakashi is 18, and has become a father once over.

Kakashi is 24, Naruto is 6, and Kakashi's best friend has just died. Uchiha Obito died to defend his godson, Sasuke, from his deranged father's plan of murdering the entire family line. With no remaining family to care for him, and no one else willing, Uchiha Sasuke becomes Hatake Sasuke.

Kakashi is 24, Naruto is 6, and they have welcomed a son and brother into thier family.

Kakashi is 26, Naruto is 7, Sasuke is 8, and Kakashi's girlfriend has just died. Haruno Rin died in a hospital shoot-out, leaving her 8 year old sister to fend for herself. It takes time, but the grief wears away to acceptance in time to save little Sakura from foster care. Kakashi greives, even after the adoption is said and done, and his sons cannot reach him. It takes a windy night and a crying little girl to reach him again, and he begins to live.

Kakashi is 26, Naruto is 7, Sasuke is 8, and they have welcomed a daughter and sister into thier family.

Kakashi is 30, Naruto is 11, Sasuke is 12, Sakura is 12, and the children have made it to highschool. Naruto, for all his slipping grades, managed to pull ahead to finish second in his class. For Sasuke, helping his brother proved more worthy of his time then passing him, and he has finished third in his class. And Sakura, smart little Sakura, has come in first. But over dinner that night, he tells them they could have failed the class, and he still would have been proud of them. There's a shared smile, a toast of water and juice, and a promise for years to come.

Kakashi is 30, Naruto is 11, Sasuke is 12 and Sakura is 12, and they are now a family ready to face the world.

Kakashi is 36, Naruto is 17, Sasuke is 18, and Sakura is 19, and there has nearly been a death in the family. Sasuke's birth father had sprung from the shadows at his "son's" graduation, shooting at least 15 hopefuls, and critically wounding the boy. What followed, Kakashi can barely remember. There was lots of blood, screaming, and tears. A whirlwind of fear, anger, sadness, acceptance. But Sasuke is still alive, if only by the involvement of his family to save him.

Kakashi is 36, Naruto is 17, Sasuke is 18, and Sakura is 19. They've all been scared before, but this...this puts priorities in line.

Kakashi is 48, Naruto is 29, Sasuke is 30, and Sakura is 31. They are watching the youngest be married, with smiles on thier faces. Naruto's girlfriend, Hyuuga Hinata, has proven herself to not care about his birth family's history and taken his hand in marriage. As Kakashi watches on, his first child is turned into a husband, and he's gained a daughter-in-law. Hyuuga Hinata will make an excellent wife, for all she cares for Naruto. And somewhere in the distance of the church window, Kakashi can feel Minato and Kushina smiling at him and Naruto.

Kakashi is 48, Naruto is 29, Sasuke is 30, and Sakura is 31. Kakashi knows his time will come, but for now..he enjoys being a father.

Kakashi is 78, Naruto is 59, Sasuke is 60, and Sakura is 61. The years haven't treated this family really well, and Kakashi knows this. He's seen his children scar, he's seen thier hearts break, and he's cleaned thier blood from his hands too many times to be happy about it. Sakura is a happy mother of 3, married to Sabaku no Gaara, Sasuke is a father of 1, married to Hatake Ino, and Naruto is a father of 3, married to Hatake Hyuuga. Kakashi is an old man now, having seen all his children married and raising children of thier own. His final regret, is that he'll never hold thier hands again, when they need him. Almost as if they read his mind, all three of his children hold his hands now, making a promise to meet again someday, in that big place in the sky. Kakashi smiles, and closes his eyes.

Kakashi is 78, Naruto is 59, Sasuke is 60, and Sakura is 61. And while Kakashi is now gone from the world he once knew, his children know he's always with them.

Heart's Note: Just a plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone, really. And I'm fond of Paternal Kakashi fics, I just can't find them!