A/N: And here's the next chapter. Thanks for all those reviews for the first chapter. I'm really glad you guys like it. I didn't really get the chance to thank all of you. But yes, all reviews are much appreciated.

Chapter 2: Officially Over

The classroom door slid open, making Iruka look up from the stack of assignments.

"Iruka!"

"Anko." Iruka smiled as he leaned back on his chair.

The purple-haired kunoichi ambled up to him and held out something for him, with a sad smile on her face. "All done. All the stuff have been shifted to your new apartment."

Iruka nodded and took the keys that the jounin held out. He smiled. "Thank you."

"Are you sure about this, Iruka?" Anko asked quietly as she clasped his shoulder. Iruka nodded with a determined smile on his face. Anko sighed.

"And you are just going to give up like that?"

Iruka looked out of the window where the sun shone through. "It's been two months, Anko. Two months since Tsunade-sama discovered the wrong medications that had been given to him. Two months since he told me that he would try to remember me. Two months since he started on that road to recovery and two months since I last saw him."

"Aren't you being a little too cruel to yourself?"

"I would be cruel to myself if I continue to stay there. That place brings back too many memories." Iruka sighed. "It's been a month since he regained his memories. But he hadn't been to look for me once. He isn't showing any signs of wanting to get back with me. Perhaps that should already hint something to me."

"Iruka, whatever it is, he owes you an explanation and I'm sure you want to know what's going on too. Perhaps you should look him up and talk to him?"

"I tried." Iruka fought to hold back the tears threatening to fall. "But he's avoiding me. I've been to his apartment, the memorial stone, the mission room, the training field, every single place. I can always sense him from a distance. But by the time I reach the place, he wouldn't be there. He would always sense me before I reach him and turn away from me."

He turned to look at his friend dejectedly. "It's officially over between us, Anko. Anyone can see that. Much as I would hate to let go, this is a decision that I would eventually have to make anyway."

Iruka pushed back his chair and walked over to the window, watching the children play outside. "It's not the end of the world. I will get on. I still have my work, my life and my friends. I still have Naruto, Sakura, you, Kurenai and all those others who care."

"You know, I would have hated Kakashi if it had been a two months back." Anko scratched her head. "But I kind of empathize with him now. Perhaps there are some reasons behind his actions?"

"That doesn't matter, Anko." Iruka turned to smile at his friend. "If he can't even sit down and talk things out with me, there's no point in forcing him to accept me into his life again. We will eventually just end up in another breakup if we get back together without first mending that crack. And by then, it would hurt even more."

"Iruka……" Anko sighed.

"I'm alright, Anko. Perhaps not totally fine now. But I will eventually be back to my old self." Iruka gave her a reassuring smile.

"I know you will. And we will be there to support you all the way." Anko brightened up a little.

"Thank you." Iruka laughed, glad that his friend wasn't going to continue probing into his decision.

The purple-haired kunoichi gave him a mischievous smirk. "Let's go for lunch!"

"I'm busy, Anko." Iruka pointed to the stacks of papers on his desk.

"Come on, you still got to eat." Anko grinned. "And we've got juicy news to share."

"Like what?" Iruka rolled his eyes.

"Like the results of the epic drama in Tsunade-sama's office two months back." Anko's eyes watched him intently. "The trial's over and they had finally got some form of closure."

Iruka sighed. "So they managed to get all the explanations out of him?"

"Yeah. They still can't believe it's not part of a big scam with another village to invade Konoha. That's why the entire questioning process took so long." Anko planted herself on the edge of the table and looked at Iruka seriously. "You know, Ruka, I was kinda thinking I shouldn't be telling you this. And your reaction just told me that I should have stuck to my original decision and kept quiet about it."

Iruka smiled. "Don't worry about it, Anko."

"It's all because of him that led to this deadlock between you and Kakashi." Anko fiddled with the hem of her jacket. "Things wouldn't have gone so bad if he hadn't given those wrong prescriptions to Kakashi and make his moods change faster than a chameleon changes colours."

"No, it's not his fault, Anko. Or well, perhaps partly." Iruka stared at his table. "But the consequences can't be pinned on him. After all, Kakashi and I were the ones who never got to talk about the problem and sort things out."

"Iruka……"

"I won't let it affect me, Anko." Iruka looked up with a smile. "Come on, didn't you say lunch?"

Anko managed a chuckle. "Yeah. Shall we go?"

"Of course. But before that, I need to go and finish up some things." The chunin turned to look at the keys in his hand.

=-=-=-=

"Alright, Kakashi. I see you are recovering well. The internal injuries are healed; your chakra flow has gotten smooth. And it seems to me that you have got most of your memories back." Tsunade folded her arms on the table and smiled at the jounin.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." Kakashi bowed slightly.

"So, are you coping well with things?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Other than being bored and exceptionally bored, there's nothing else to cope with."

Tsunade sighed. "Fine, I get your point. You will be placed back in active duty in two days' time."

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama." Kakashi smiled.

"But," Tsunade eyed him sternly. "You will start off with some light duties first. You haven't been moving around much for the last three months or so. Your body will be a little stiff. And adding on to that fact, you have been taking medications for a while. Your body will need some time to adjust."

Kakashi suppressed a groan. "Yes, Tsunade-sama."

"Good." Tsunade smiled with satisfaction. "So, how are things between you and Iruka?"

Kakashi turned silent. He stared past the Hokage to look out of the window. "The weather is pretty good today. Nice day for training. Perhaps I should –"

"Don't give me that, Hatake." Tsunade snapped. Then her gaze softened. "I heard from Asuma and Genma about you and Iruka. The two of you haven't been talking or seeing each other."

Kakashi did not answer. Tsunade sighed. "I don't like prying into your personal life. But Kakashi, you and Iruka are both subordinates that I value a lot. And I don't wish to see anything that upsets you both, if I can help it. I've seen how dedicated Iruka has been to you while you were in hospital and during that period when you lost your memories. You need to be fair to him."

"I know." Kakashi paused. "But……" He trailed off.

Tsunade shook her head in exasperation. "I know what you are thinking, Kakashi. But being guilty won't help things. What's done is already done. You can't change that fact. You need to salvage whatever is left. You've hurt him once when you lost your memories. No one is able to blame you for that. But now that you've regained all those lost years, are you going to push him away again?"

"I don't deserve him." Kakashi said quietly.

"That isn't up to you to decide alone, I think." Tsunade leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. "This is as much a decision of his as it is yours. And as far as I'm concerned, you two are a perfect match."

Kakashi sighed. He didn't need to hear reassurances from anybody else, much less the Hokage. He could handle his own problems and he was well aware of the entire situation.

He had hurt his lover. He had hurled abuse at him physically and emotionally. No matter what others tell him that it wasn't his fault and that it was due to the influence of the medicines that Kitou had given him, he couldn't wipe that guilt away. He didn't know how to face Iruka without thinking about all the hurt he had inflicted on the younger man. He didn't know how Iruka would see him now. He didn't know if going back to Iruka would be fair to the chunin after all those damages he had done.

"Kakashi, stop thinking about what has already been done. The hurt has been caused and words have been said. Iruka's heart has been wounded. No matter how much you don't wish for it now, you have already done him the injustice. What you need to do now is to heal that wound and make it right."

Tsunade leaned forward in her table. "I can heal all kinds of injuries, external and internal. But much as I would love to, I can't heal a wound that is embedded in the heart. Kakashi, I can't soothe the hurt in Iruka or you. No one else can. Only the two of you can heal each other. That is, if you still allow yourself to believe."

Kakashi shoved his hands into his pocket. "I know."

"I'm sure you know. You aren't called a genius for nothing, Kakashi. But the problem now is, whether you will put this knowledge into action." Tsunade drummed her fingers against the wooden table. "You need to start making up to him, for all those hurts he has been going through."

"I will."

"That's good. Well, is there anything else? Because I'm sure I won't be seeing you again until it's time for your next mission." Tsunade smiled.

Kakashi contemplated for a minute. "Well, actually, yes……"

"Well, brat, just say it."

"Tsunade-sama, I would like to make a request to step down for the time being from my role as Team Kakashi's leader." Kakashi eyed his superior.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "You are going to give up your team?"

"No." Kakashi sighed and rubbed the nape of his neck. "I need some time to sort out my thoughts."

Tsunade nodded in understanding. "Alright. I'm sure Yamato wouldn't mind filling in for the time being. He's been doing it for so long anyway and ANBU isn't exactly short on manpower to need him back. Go ahead and take a break from your team. When you are ready to reassume the role, tell me. Just don't take too long."

Kakashi smiled. "I know. Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade smirked and waved him off. "Now go back and get some rest."

Kakashi turned and strode out of the door.

When the door finally closed behind the jounin, Tsunade sighed.

This is going to be more difficult than she thought. The physical injuries may have been healed. But the mental scars will be there for a long time to come. She had thought that Kakashi was only feeling remorseful towards what he had done to Iruka. But now, it seems that the jounin isn't taking it easy on himself too when it comes to his team's torments during the period of his memory loss.

Tsunade shook her head. That brat would have to learn how to take things easy and know that no one, except himself, is blaming him for all the things that had happened.

=-=-=-=

Kakashi strode down the streets, deep in thoughts.

Tsunade was right. He had to face the problem sooner or later. He needs to be fair to Iruka and talk it out with him. And he will accept whatever Iruka has to propose, just so he could make it up to the chunin.

Even if the younger man initiates a breakup.

Kakashi couldn't deny the fact that he had hit his lover. Even if it was the one and only time, it was still abuse. The jounin couldn't face that, knowing that he had put that mental scar in Iruka. He wondered if they would be able to spend their times together like before, after so many things had happened.

He turned the corner and walked up the stairs to his apartment.

He would have to ask Iruka out soon. It's been two months since their last meeting at the Hokage's office, after Kitou's ploy had been discovered. He hadn't been to seen the chunin since and he was beginning to worry about just how Iruka is getting on.

Perhaps he could ask Asuma to help him arrange a meeting with Iruka. Perhaps he should just drop by at their apartment and ask for forgiveness. Perhaps he should just try to forget everything and work hard to salvage whatever is remaining of their relationship. Perhaps……

Kakashi's thoughts were disrupted when he noticed the white envelope lying outside his door. He raised an eyebrow and took a few quick strides towards it. He bent down to pick up the package.

There was a weight in it. He opened the door to his apartment and stepped in, all the while turning the envelope over, trying to see who it is from. He sat down on the couch and tossed his keys on the coffee table, before opening up the envelope and pulling out the contents.

And he felt his heart stopped and his throat constrict when he stared at the item in his hands. It was so familiar that it hurts.

It was a bunch of keys and tagged to it was a dolphin keychain. Kakashi felt the turmoil rising in him.

The keys had been returned. Those keys that he had given to Iruka when they bought that apartment to stay in together two years ago. The keys to their lives together and the love they had for each other. The keys to each other's heart and the silent promises to stay with each other for as long as time allows them.

Pale fingers traced the small keychain hanging from it. Kakashi recognized it. He had bought that for Iruka when he went to the Water Country for a mission a year ago. The inscriptions at the back of the delicately carved keychain were still clear. But the words were meaningless now. The proclamation had been callously thrown back in his face.

And it was his fault.

He clutched at the keys as he buried his face in his hands. There wasn't a need to look for Iruka anymore. He didn't need to face the music and trash things out with the chunin. He doesn't have to apologize and ask for forgiveness. He doesn't even have to figure out how he is going to face his lover after all the damages he had done.

Because the decision has been made. The line has been drawn. Iruka has come to a conclusion. He had returned the last thing that held them together. Iruka had locked Kakashi out of his life.

He didn't even hold back when Obito's eye started to cry, because he knew.

It is officially over between them.

=-=-=-=