To Endure

"I can't go back. I can never go back."

Her whisper drifted and became nothing.

I looked down at her bowed head, and can't help but feel uneasy by the way she calmly sat there, like she wasn't kidnapped.

"What are you talking about, Rin?"

I hissed.

Get up! They're going to get us!

Maybe it's a genjutsu, to twist her mind and say things she doesn't intend to say.

I kneeled, "Let's get you out of here! Kai!"

"I am not under a genjutsu! Kakashi!"

She held me by my shoulders.

She really didn't look like she's under a genjutsu, her face looks calm and sure…

But…

There's something off about it.

"Please. Please listen to me. Go back to Konoha, inform Hokage-sama of the situation, but forget about rescuing me. Leave me here! There's no turning back for me!"

This is getting ridiculous.

"Rin! No!"

I tugged harder at her wrist.

"Kakashi, please. I'm begging you. Save yourself and the village. Go back and leave me here!"

How can I ever leave her?

It's just the two of us now, and Sensei.

I don't want to go ahead and be stupid for a second time.

"Rin, you know about my promise to Obito, right? I can't just leave you just because you told me so! Let's get you home, and let's find a way out of this together!"

Like a team.

What Minato-sensei tried to drive into both of our skulls, Obito's and mine, when we were still a complete team.

"You don't understand, Kakashi..."

Yes, I don't understand!

Why are you acting this way?

"Can't you see it?"

See what?

And as I looked into her russet eyes, I think I found it.

All light was gone.

This wasn't the Rin I've known.

Rin is always smiling. The peacemaker. She is strong and willing to fight for what she thought was right.

Don't tell me… you've given up hope, Rin!

I would not accept this.

"If you're not coming with me peacefully, then I'd have to force you."

I pulled her off the ground, and dragged her through the treetops.

If I have to never let go of her and drag her all the way until we reach Konoha, then so be it.

"Kakashi, stop! Let go of me!"

Her voice was shaky, jerking her wrist from my grasp.

I would never let go.

Only if she said she'd come home will I set her free.

"Fine! I'm going with you! Just let go of my hand."

I let go, even if there was something wrong in how she said that.

I kept my pace ahead of her, and she followed with no fail.

"Enemies, behind!"

For all times for them to find us out…

We're still in the middle of their territory!

There's a whole bunch of them behind us.

20? No, 50!

50 or more…

I have to get us out of here quick.

I increased my pace, Rin close behind.

Suddenly…

"Kakashi, kill me now! Now!"

It sounded nothing like a request or a plea.

It was an order.

"What?!"

How can I do such a thing?

First, I let Obito die, now you want me to kill you with my own hands?

You, whose life he entrusted to me… just what are you thinking?!

"They…"

She paused.

"They're using me, Kakashi! I might end up attacking Konoha!"

"I don't understand! You will never attack Konoha!"

It is your home.

Our home!

We are shinobi of Konoha; it is our duty to protect Konoha!

Obito died protecting the village, and now…

"For the last time, Rin, I'll tell you again. I promised Obito that I'd protect you. There's no way I can do that! There has to be another way…"

It is not an impasse!

There must be something… anything!

Anything at all… to save you.

"It's my mission to bring you home, and it's my promise to keep you safe. 'Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their friends are worse than trash!' But now that the mission and your safety are one, I can't afford to fail!"

I don't want to make the same mistake again.

Not now, not ever.

I abandoned her before, I don't want to do it the second time around.

Then the border came in sight.

"Quick, we're almost there!"

Oh—

"More of them!"

I adjusted my hitai-ate to unleash the Sharingan.

Obito's gift will be the one to protect Rin, along with the jutsu I completed because of it!

They formed a dense circle around us.

I positioned myself to protect her.

"It's too late... there's no way—"

"Listen, Rin. There's a hole in their formation, 2 o'clock."

"Kakashi, go through that opening and run! Run away! We're outnumbered!"

Go and be free!

Chidori!

"No, you go ahead. I'm going to take care of them. I'll cover your back!"

She looked hard at me, but soon ran off toward the break in their formation.

They let her go, while they charged and barraged me with all the Suiton jutsus in their arsenals.

They'd finish me first before they finish her.

That's their plan.

Water fell all around me in droves like rain.

I sped my way through them, lancing with the Chidori.

5, 15, 35, 40… and yet there's still more.

But I'm not going to give up soon.

There's no way I will ever do that.

I spotted one Kirigakure ANBU who totally had his guard down.

Foolishness!

And I dashed straight at him.

Then…

Black, pink, black, brown.

Time slowed down.

Rin descended right on my path.

Why?

I can't stop.

I want to but I can't.

I'm going too fast.

And yet…

Her face held a resolute look, which is really out of place.

Beautiful and fearless.

The face of a woman tempered with great adversity.

And that was replaced with intense agony and suffering in a heartbeat.

And I could see her chakra circulatory system shutdown slowly but surely.

I mourned, and so did Obito's eye.

She looked at me through her pain, and breathed my name, "Kakashi…"

And she coughed out blood, went limp, her eyes closing.

Eyes that will never see the light again.

No!

Don't look at me like that…

I… I don't deserve it.

Slowly but surely, the chakra within her drifted away.

I bowed down and shut my eyes firmly to prevent myself from seeing anymore…

Hah, like that would make a difference.

Tears flowed freely even with the barrier.

I have now witnessed both of my teammates' death.

And both are my fault.

I held her shoulder with one hand, and pulled away my bloody arm.

More blood spurted from where I pierced her chest.

I squeezed her shoulder.

I don't want to let her go.

Hoping beyond hope that she will respond.

She will ask me, "Why are you bloodied like that? It's the Chidori, isn't it? Here, let me heal that."

But no.

She never did.

She's gone.

I surrendered, and let her body fall back on the ground with a sickly mix of a thud and a splatter.

The rain continued to patter all around us.

I heard, "He got us. After we worked so much to get it!"

What does that mean?

I don't get it!

"Rin…"

You were a shinobi, but you didn't have to hide and endure alone.

I fell to my knees.

We could have overcome this together.

As a team.

Team Minato.

This is just too much.

I broke my promise.

It's just me and Sensei now, if the enemy decides to let me live.

I wish they would just kill me too.

Why does it have to be this way?

Obito and Rin had gone ahead to a place where they will no longer suffer, where there are no wars, where there is no pain, where there is no hate.

And I'm alone now…

Stuck in this world of suffering, war, pain and hate—until somebody came along to destroy me.

Maybe then, I could be with you, the three of us together.

We can watch over Minato-sensei, Kushina-san and, maybe, their future child.

Maybe we could guide this child to change this system and the future…

So that no one will have to receive the same fate as you and Obito did…

1, 2, 3 tomoe.

They spin and reform.

Strange, how I know this.

My eye was closed, and Obito's was blurred with tears.

And everything sunk into darkness.

So, there it is folks!

.

How was it?

Send me a review! :D