Chapter 2

Thunder rolled softly as the heavy drops of rain hit Kakashi's window. The shinobi sighed deeply. The rain was not what was keeping him awake. It was the soft sobs coming from the room that housed a child. Sighing for the sixth time, Kakashi arose from his bed and rubbed his sore eyes. He slowly made his way out of his bedroom and down the hall. This was the fourth night this week alone that he was doing this. Standing in her doorway. Watching her toss and turn. Watching her cry in her sleep. She had been having nightmares since he had first brought her home a week and a half ago. Whatever was attacking her in her dreams didn't stop. When it first started occurring, Kakashi once again went to Mikoto for her wisdom.

"Comfort her. Let her know that you are there and you'd let nothing harm her." Her words rang in his head.

The ANBU ninja sat on the edge of the small bed and peered down at the child. The moonlight that shinned through her window was enough to see her panicked sleeping face. Kakashi brushed her white hair from her face gently.

"Don't worry, for as long as I live, I shall not let anyone or anything harm you. Kareta…" He rubbed the top of her head softly and smiled a bit to himself when he felt her body relax. It was weird to him. Raising a child. He had just turned twenty less than a month ago. Now he was going to raise this 6 year old girl by himself. Was it because he had no one to raise him? Was it because he knows how it feels to be abandoned by your parent. Kakashi closed his eyes. He wasn't going to fail her.

"S-sir?..."

Kakashi's eyes snapped open and he looked down into the eyes of the now awake child.

"Ah you can call me… uh.. well…" Kakashi wasn't sure if he was exactly ready for someone to be calling him father just yet. "You can call me Kakashi…."

"Ka-Kakashi?" she yawned.

"Yes?"

"Can you lay with me?" Kakashi's eyes grew wide at the question. "I keep having the same dream and I can't sleep." Kakashi let out a gentle sigh and laid down behind the girl in the small bed. He watched as she quickly drifted back off to sleep. Kakashi didn't move though. Instead he continued to lay there and watched Kareta's little body rise and fall with every breath that she took and he unknowingly smiled to him. Maybe fathering a child wouldn't be so bad.

"Thank you, Mikoto-san."

"Yes, yes now hurry or you'll be late!"

It had been two months since Kakashi had taken in Kareta and it was finally time for him to go back to work. Thankfully Mikoto Uchiha was more than willing to watch his adoptive child while he was away. Kneeling down to her height, Kakashi's lone black eye peered into Kareta's own. It was awkward for him. He had a ping in his stomach that didn't want him to leave Kareta. Not that he didn't trust Mikoto, but it was solely the fact that Kareta wouldn't be with him. He was with her every day since he had found her and he wasn't really sure if he ready to let her out of his sight yet. The silver hared ninja sighed and patted the young girl on the head.

"Be good now, alright Kareta? I'll pick you up tonight". The young girl watched as her care taker disappeared in a flash.

"Now then Kareta-chan, it's still earl; would you like to lay down and rest for bit?" Mikoto ushered the child inside.

As the sun set behind the Hokage monument, two children came running throughout a very polished house; knocking down a vase.

"Sasuke! Kareta-chan! What's going on?!" Mikoto rushed into the living room where the two children had stopped playing.

"Mama… I'm sorry." Sasuke looked down at his feet. "Please don't send Kareta-chan home…"

Said girl looked down at her feet sheepishly. "S-sorry Mikoto-san".

"I'm home!"

Everyone's attention turned toward the front door where 3 men entered the house.

"Itachi! Father!" Sasuke ran to go hug his family members.

The silver haired ninja walked up to his child and glanced down at her. The young child peered down at her feet while blushing lightly and then slowly raised her head to look Kakashi in his lone eye. Peering over her, Kakashi noticed the broken vase on the floor. "Did you do that?" he spoke softly.

The white haired girl opened her mouth to speak, but didn't get to say anything as Sasuke rushed over to her.

"N-no! It was me! I broke Mama's vase! Please don't punish her!"

The room went silent. All the adults looked at one another and Mikoto nodded at Kakashi. "Alright then Sasuke. I'll take your word for it." Kakashi smiled underneath his mask and patted Sasuke head. He reached down and picked up Kareta. Kareta smiled down at Sasuke as Kakashi thanked the Uchiha's and promised to replace their vase anyway. Sasuke gave a wide toothed grin in return. "See you tomorrow Kareta-chan?"

The white haired girl looked up into Kakashi's face and he gave a slight nod. "Y-yeah!"

The duo walked down the quiet streets of Konoha. Kareta glanced around as shop owners were closing down their shops and other families headed on their way home as well. Kareta looked up into Kakashi's young face.

"Kakashi?"

"Yes?" The silver haired ninja's lone eyes made contact with her large black ones.

"C-can I call you Papa?" she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, but it was loud enough for Kakashi to hear. He smile and glanced over at the receding sun and then back down at his adopted child.

"Of course you can… Kareta…"

The young girl smiled softly at the older man and rested her head on his chest and snuggled into him as they both watched the sun set on their way back home.