Kakashi woke up with a frown on his face.

It wasn't that the dream had been unpleasant; really, it had been quite pleasurable (not in that way). It was more that he hadn't dreamt about that sort of thing in a long, long time. And to be honest…he almost didn't want to dream about it anymore, because it only made him sad and longing for a time gone by. Was she dead? He'd started to wonder that when ten years had passed and he hadn't heard a thing. Kukyo would have come back by then, wouldn't she? Had Daraku found her? After the mission he'd told her it would all be okay—but that might not have been the case. It might have gone all wrong. He hadn't listened to her, and it might have been exactly like she had expected. He hadn't had dreams and guilt like this since Obito and Rin had died, and it had taken just as long for them to disappear. Following him around like malevolent spirits tormenting him and trying to take him with them to the grave.

But they had dissipated into the background eventually, and he had had to get on with his life. He had left the ANBU and become a sensei. It helped him leave some memories behind. Not many students passed his rigorous test, but eventually one team had: Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke. Yet still things hadn't ended there. Sasuke had a darkness in him much like he had done when he was a child—his hadn't caused him to leave the village, however. And there clearly hadn't been enough they had done to stop him. But just like always they had to go on with their lives. Naruto had gone off to train with Jiraiya, and Sakura had trained with Tsunade. He in turn had spent his time training for the two and a half years Naruto was away, along with important missions now and again. He didn't want to lose touch and for anything to go wrong at any time now or in the future. Too much seemed to have done so already.

A little while back and Naruto had come back and they had all reunited, becoming Team Seven once more. Without Sasuke they were affected, but they had to do what was necessary, and after seeing what they had learned during their training, after the situation with the Kazekage, they had missions just like before—or at least that's what they'd been thinking. His day had gone on as normal—albeit wondering why exactly he had had the dream he'd had, but brushing it off for now, Kakashi continued with the usual routine. Forcing himself out of bed, he trudged into the shower and turned it to cold, the temperature helping to shake off the lingering feeling of the dream. He managed to push it to the back of his mind as he eventually got out, got dressed and had breakfast, but it began to return by the time he had exited his house and ambled through the streets of Konoha to the training grounds.

It didn't take him long to reach the KIA stone; the route was as familiar as anything by now, after all. It was when he reached there, however, that the thoughts about the dream hit him again. True, there were times when he was particularly stressed, or if he'd just had a really bad day and felt really depressed when he ended up having a dream about those who were gone. But nothing like that had happened recently. Nothing in general had happened recently—it had been pretty mundane and routine; just the regular missions and training. Then again, after the excitement of saving Gaara it was a bit of a relief to have things calm down. By the time he realised he had to be heading off, Kakashi had managed to push it all to the back of his mind once more. He finally met up with Naruto and Sakura, giving his excuse to them both that they didn't believe, before they all headed into the Hokage's building and stood before Tsunade to hear what they would be doing today. Only it wasn't quite what they had been expecting.

Naruto and Sakura were to be doing missions for just the two of them, or just training for now. Instantly they had protested, however; it wasn't supposed to be just them working together—Kakashi was a member of Team Seven too! Not to mention this wasn't just a day. This was for a while by the sounds of things. What exactly was so important that he was being taken away and put to something else without them for so long? But Kakashi himself was unable to give them the answer, as he didn't know. He hadn't a clue as to what this was all about, having had no word about it beforehand in order to prepare him—this was the first he had heard of it. But he was to be put on it right away; if he needed Naruto and Sakura to help out, then they could do so, but unless he requested, they would remain elsewhere. And with that comment, they were told to leave, Kakashi needing to be briefed on what to do, and sighing in irritation and confusion, they did so.

Glancing behind him as they left, Kakashi turned back to Tsunade and shook off the unusual situation. Sure, it was strange, but these things happened. He had to do what the Hokage ordered him to do, and as such, he questioned as to what she was asking of him, only to freeze as she began simply, staring him dead in the eye,

"It's the estate, Kakashi. It was left alone after your mission as a monument to all the people who died there. But people have been noticing things in the area; doors ripped off, rubble moved. Noises have also been heard, and reports of people, though whether or not they're true I don't know. So I want you to head over there and figure out fact from fiction. See what's going on and make sure nothing unusual is happening. You did the mission—you know more than most."

For a moment, Kakashi couldn't respond, caught between shock and incredulity. Having had the dream of so many things that had happened between him and Kukyo last night, to suddenly be told he was to be going back there and looking round, once again remembering all those things…he could barely believe it. In a way, Kakashi wasn't certain he really wanted to. He wasn't sure how to react. He didn't exactly like thinking about Kukyo leaving, a part of him feeling guilty for just letting her go and not doing more to stop her or persevering in going with her in her journey…but there had also been a lot of good memories of hanging out with her there. He would never have met her if it hadn't of been for the estate. But still…could he handle it?

As he considered these thoughts memories were beginning to flash up in his head, making him swallow hard with the recollection. Tsunade didn't do anything to rush him, knowing how hard this must be for him. When she'd heard what had been going on, she'd read the mission report and everything that had happened and understood their friendship—that this would be difficult. Kakashi glanced up at her, caught in his tumultuous thoughts, abruptly realising that Tsunade wanted a response. But then he also realised what he was thinking; Kukyo and him had done so much to stop all that had been going on there, and now there was a risk it was happening again. Kakashi couldn't refuse because of bad memories—he wouldn't let anyone try and start those experiments up again. Though something occurred to him as he ran that over in his mind, and looking back up at Tsunade again, he replied,

"I'll do it, Hokage-sama. I understand. But…there are also things—tools—from the experiments and furniture from many of the rooms that I didn't get to see. If things have been taken, moved, changed in there…I won't be able to tell."

But Tsunade merely smirked, appearing prepared for this comment, and grasping her hands together, she shrugged, responding simply,

"That's alright—we'll simply get help," before gesturing to the door, Kakashi turning to look, frowning in confusion as to who they could hire to help with something like this.

Only for his face to drop when he saw Kukyo standing there.