A/N: Alright chapter four up. Some cute little girl crush things in here and now we get to see how the future begins to evolve for the Hatake siblings! YAY! also i'll leave notes about how old they are because some times it's hard to follow and confusing also because somewhere while writting this I also got very, very confused... Huge blonde moment back then. This last bit of the chapter was also inspired by the song Castle of Glass by Linken Park, love that song, you should listen to it when you're three quarter of the way through. Love you all R&R :)

Kakashi age 5

Kasumi age 7

Obito & Rin also 7 (same age as Kasumi)

Kasumi half snoozed in the snow under a tree as the warm sun passed her by, melting the snow as it soaked into her pants and against her water proof jacket and into her silver hair that glistened with the sun and the water it retained from the melting snow underneath her and around her.

Her first year of the academy was done and dusted and she passed with flying colours next to Kakashi and it was all thanks to him, Rin came third and well… Obito passed with average grades but he was happy to pass. They had been let out early because it was the last day and the genin exam took place during the afternoon, which required two proctors to examine them.

There was only one down side to the year that had flashed by. War had been called just over a month ago and so the village was short on ninja as well as being on high alert as well. Otou-sama wasn't around much as he was pretty much the commander out on the battlefield next to the Hokage with the Sannin, Uncle Jiraiya, Tsunade and Orochimaru. They pretty much work together like a four-man squad most the time but Orochimaru made her feel uneasy. He always looked at her like he was going to eat her and his skin and eyes were weird.

"Hatake Kasumi!" A frantic voice called and Kasumi sighed in the snow… All of the teachers had been frantic about where all of the kids were all of the time and Kasumi felt like she was being smothered all of the time and she didn't like being watched. Kasumi sat up and looked at her sensei rushing towards her. He knelt down and began checking her over before she pushed him away with a huff as she stood up.

"I'm fine sensei. No I wasn't kidnapped I just came out here to breath and yes I know there is a war going on… Let's just go back inside." Kasumi sighed as she walked with her sensei following after her. She entered the main hall and quickly found the worried Obito and Rin as they met up in the centre and stood around.

"Where did you go? The academy nearly had a code red melt down because you disappeared." Rin said but she seemed out of breath, both of her friends seemed to.

"I was outside, I don't like to be cooped up all of the time… Why are you two out of breath?" Kasumi asked, narrowing her eyes as Obito and Rin looked at each other.

"Kakashi took the graduation exam…" Obito said and Kasumi gasped.

"And?" She asked, waiting for the answer as they shared another look.

"He passed, a meeting had been called around this, that's why the academy was having a melt down over your disappearance." Rin explained as she began to lead the way through the crowd with Kasumi and Obito following after her.

"I never knew first years could take the exam?" Kasumi asked and Rin shrugged with a sigh.

"Measures for war have been taken, anyone at the age of five or over can be ninja according to Konoha's war laws. They've called for you to stand testimony." Rin continued to explain down the halls that they practically ran down.

"The rules state normally, they're sent back to the academy during their survival test with their jonin instructor but we haven't had anyone try to graduate so young since before Konoha was created, the last time was with the Shodai's brother, Senju Itama." Obito explained and Kasumi whistled sarcastically.

"Shows how much attention I pay in history." Kasumi said before they stopped outside a door being guarded by two ANBU. Rin and Obito gulped as Kasumi stood normally.

"Hatake Kasumi?" The one ANBU asked and Kasumi nodded. "Please go in immediately." He said, opening the door and Kasumi walked into the chaos of a room. There sat important people of Konoha, clan heads as she noticed some of them. At the front stood her otou-san, the Hokage and the Sannin and she gulped as the room went silent.

"You summoned me?" Kasumi asked in a slightly quivering voice as she stayed by the door.

"Come here Kasumi." Sakumo asked gently yet commandingly with some anger laced into his voice as Kasumi quickly made her way over to her father. "Perform the transformation jutsu and the clone jutsu." He commanded gently and grasped her shoulders gently to face the rest of the room.

"Transform." Kasumi said nervously as she held the hand seal and in a poof of smoke, there stood an exact copy of her father before it poofed away and she formed other hand seals and a clone was created next to her before it faded away and the room was filled with murmurs.

"Why did your daughter not take the exam as well?" Someone from the crowd answered as the voices dulled down to the question to be answered.

"I never knew Kakashi was going to take the exam. He did it of his own free will and obviously Kasumi decided not to take it yet." Sakumo answered sternly.

"Make her a genin too." Another voice said suddenly as angry murmurs filled the room.

"Enough!" The Hokage said sternly as the room quietened down. "Kasumi-chan, would you like to be a genin as well?" The Hokage asked her gently, kneeling down in front of her as she took a silent gasp and looked around the room that were waiting patiently before she looked up at her father. His face was hard and he still had her shoulders gently, his eyes said a different story, it was proud yet worried and that made up Kasumi's mind.

"No thank you Hokage-sama." Kasumi said to the man sternly yet with thanks in her voice and the room rose with voices again.

"May I ask as to why you turn down this offer Kasumi-chan?" Another person in the crowd asked as the room quietened down again, all eyes on her.

"I'm not ready… I only passed because Kakashi took time out of his training to help me, I'd like to pass on my own time and not because I'm the daughter of the famous White Fang and a supposed genius. Kakashi is his own person, he may do as he pleases." Kasumi said sternly, turning the room the quietest it had ever been.

"That's my girl." Sakumo said with love and affection and the room burst into rounds of laughter and clapping.

"You're wise Kasumi-chan, don't loose that even when you become a great kunoichi one day." The Hokage said, patting her head affectionately before standing up. "Meeting adjourned. Kakashi will stay a genin unless his sensei says otherwise."

Kasumi was immediately turned around and picked up into a hug by her father who was laughing. She tried pushing him away as she could hear some of the ninja in the room laughing but then gave up and she was put down.

"Otou-sama, where's Kakashi?" Kasumi asked quickly before he got sucked into a conversation with the Sannin.

"He's in the classroom next doors." Sakumo said as Kasumi nodded and wormed her way through the crowd and exited, going to the classroom next doors. She looked through the window on the door and saw him pacing the length of the classroom with the hitai-ate in hand… Now she knew why he suddenly wore something different today. He wore a completely black outfit with a sleeveless shirt with the mask attached, black pants and strappings at the bottom of his pants. He also wore sleeves on his arms to just past his elbow strapped down by two bands, one around his wrist and just above his elbow. She burst in through the door when his back was turned and she tackled into him as they rolled along and ended up with Kakashi pinned by a grinning Kasumi.

"Congratulations Otouto." Kasumi said as his eyes widened and then softened as he looked down at his hand and back up at his nee-san's face. She was pouting and her face red before she sat back, pulling him up by his shoulders and began shaking the life out of him. "Why didn't you tell me you idiot! I thought you were in trouble! I would have trained with you more often if you said you wanted to pass the exam this year you idiot!…"

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Sakumo laughed quietly as he watched his overprotective daughter shake the life out of his son and a shadow appeared behind him.

"I hope Kakashi isn't like Kasumi is he?" He laughed as Sakumo turned to face the young man.

"He's very placid, one is enough as I'm sure you know Minato." Sakumo laughed and Minato smiled.

"Though… It would have been nice to train the both of them. Too bad she turned down the offer." Minato sighed as they watched Kasumi still yelling at Kakashi as he just let himself rag doll about.

"Maybe you still can train her eventually. She'll pass soon enough and then you'll want to get rid of her and keep them apart, they sure can be a handful sometimes." Sakumo said with a smile as he noticed Kasumi had stopped shaking Kakashi.

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Kasumi had stopped shaking Kakashi now that she had vented and she took a deep breath as Kakashi got his bearing back and sat up out of her hold as he smiled at her as she sat in front of him now. He held the hitai-ate in his hands and was about to bring it to his head when Kasumi grabbed his wrists and he looked up in confusion. Kasumi just grinned as she took the hitai-ate from Kakashi and leaned forwards, kissing his forehead before she tied it on and sat back grinning.

"I'm proud of you Kakashi." Kasumi grinned and Kakashi blushed under his mask as he eyes smiled as well, hearing that from her made his chest bloom with an almost overwhelming feeling of warmth that felt like it burned but in a good way.

"Well, now that you're finished killing your otouto…" A voice came as Kasumi swivelled on her knees and looked up at Minato standing there with a smirk on his face and Kasumi giggled.

"Sorry Minato-san." Kasumi giggled and waved his hand.

"No problem… I'm going to be Kakashi's sensei for now until we find a team for him though I am saddened to hear you didn't take the offer Kasumi-chan." Minato said as he leaned back against one of the tables.

"I would have liked to take it but I know I'm not ready yet… See you at home Kakashi and good luck, Minato-san is quick." Kasumi giggled as she got up and left out of the classroom and Kakashi looked up at his sensei.

"She's a feisty one isn't she?" Minato asked, pointing a thumb over his shoulder with a grin and Kakashi laughed.

"You have no idea sensei." Kakashi laughed as Minato helped him up and they began to talk about his future.

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Kasumi was in the kitchen, cooking dinner when she heard a stumble by the door as it opened and a groan. She turned off the heat and headed over, leaning against the doorframe, covering her mouth with her hand, hiding a grin. She had never seen Kakashi so beaten up before and Minato standing there sheepishly after helping his new student home.

"How did it go?" Kasumi asked as Kakashi looked up at her with a glare.

"Don't ask, I can barely move after I pulled something in my back." Kakashi muttered and Kasumi walked over to him and stood behind him.

"Relax…" She said gently as she placed her hands on his shoulders. She felt him breath in and then as he was about to breath out, she grabbed him in a bear hug, picked him up and tiled back slightly as she felt his whole spine click against her. He let out a yell of pain as she set him back on the floor but held him as he was shaking from the pain. Kasumi made sure he was standing on his own as she walked around to face him and wiped away his tears as he stared at nothing, trying not to focus on the throb all the way down his back.

"Go upstairs and run yourself a hot bath and get ready for it. I'll be up there now to add some stuff to it that'll help and help you if you need it." Kasumi said as she patted his head and pushed him gently to head up stairs.

"What's happened?!" Sakumo yelled over the railing in a panic and saw Kakashi heading up the stairs and Kasumi and Minato standing there sheepishly.

"I clicked his spine into place. Everything is fine Otou-sama so go get some more rest, dinner will be ready soon." Kasumi said up to him as he nodded tiredly and headed back to his room and Kasumi sighed before looking at Minato.

"Would you like something to drink Minato-san?" Kasumi asked, closing the door behind him meaning he didn't have a choice as he toed off his shoes and followed Kasumi into the kitchen. "Tea or coffee?" Kasumi asked as she switched the stove back on and put a pot of water onto one of the plates and continued to stir at the soup she was making and tasted it, adding something else to the pot as Minato sat on the stool on the other side of the counter and watched in fascination.

"Some tea would be wonderful." Minato said as Kasumi nodded and prepared three cups and was back at the cooking pot.

"How did he do?" Kasumi asked, looking up with blue eyes that were slightly lighter than Minato's own.

"He did well for his age and height but there's a lot of tweaking I'll have to do with him… He's picked up some bad habits when he fights." Minato said as he graciously accepted his tea and sipped it.

"Otou-sama has taught us some things that can be considered as a bad habit so I suggest you ask Kakashi first and try to rectify it if need be." Kasumi said as she removed the pot and took out four plates. "I hope you don't mind miso soup with eggplant?" Kasumi asked as she served up and Minato blinked, dumbfounded.

"Uh no?" He said and then laughed. "You didn't have to invite me in while you're having dinner you know?" He asked as Kasumi scowled with concentration as she ladled the soup out.

"I made the soup to include you, I know Otou-sama will want to know about his son… He's proud of Kakashi to take the initiative himself." Kasumi smiled and Minato chuckled.

"You're very mature for your age as is Kakashi, how old are you two again?" Minato asked and Kasumi smiled as she carried the plates to the table and Minato helped.

"Kakashi is five and I'm nearly seven." Kasumi smiled as she sat at the table, next to Minato as they enjoyed their tea.

"When's your birthday?" Minato asked and Kasumi held up a finger.

"I'll be right back." She said, hopping off the chair and heading upstairs. He heard another pained yell from Kakashi but cursing from the kid this time and he laughed as soon as he swallowed his tea that was trying to choke him… Dinner was going to be very interesting.

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Minato sighed contently as he sat with Sakumo at the dinning table. Kakashi had gone to bed right after dinner and Kasumi was busy cleaning up in the kitchen. He had been talking to Sakumo about how well Kakashi fights and such, anything the man wanted to know and now they sat in a comfortable silence, enjoying their tea.

"So, how come Kasumi is so mature for her age?" Minato asked and he regretted it as soon as he saw the flash of hurt in Sakumo's eyes but he gave Minato a sad smile anyway.

"The day you met Kasumi was a few days after Kakashi was born and it was the day we told her that her kaa-san wasn't going to live much longer… After my wife died she just matured so suddenly and picked up the slack in the house, its regrettable in a way." Sakumo sighed with a sad smile as he sipped his tea.

"I'm sorry for your loss… She avoided a question of mine earlier about her birthday?" Minato asked and Sakumo kept his face neutral and sighed again, staring at the table.

"Nozomi, my wife and her kaa-san died on her birthday, she hasn't told anyone or celebrated it since and refuses to. She's able to neatly avoid questions but if she has to confront something, she doesn't do it half assed." Sakumo laughed slightly and Minato smiled.

"She's a very complicated puzzle, as is Kakashi but he seems a little more simpler than his nee-chan." Minato said and Sakumo hummed.

"I'm an enigma." Kasumi said with a grin as she joined them at the table again, drinking a glass of warm milk with tired eyes and Minato smiled at her.

"You stun me with your vocabulary again." Minato said and Kasumi smiled.

"It's the only way to get people to see you as mature instead of a snot nosed little kid… I guess Kakashi just picked it up from me." Kasumi said with a smile and Minato hummed. "Otou-sama, you have to get up early tomorrow morning, why don't you get some rest and I'll see Minato-san out and lock up?" Kasumi asked as she downed her glass of milk. Sakumo hummed with an adoring smile at his daughter as he stood up and shook hands with Minato.

"It was a pleasure to meet you again Minato, take care of my son." Sakumo said and Minato nodded with a stern face.

"Of coarse Sakumo-san. Goodnight sir." Minato said as Sakumo turned around and headed out and up to his room. "I should be going too Kasumi-chan, it was nice of you to make me dinner as well. You've been doing a wonderful job in your home and in the academy so keep it up." Minato said as they walked to the door and Kasumi grinned and nodded her head.

"Uh huh! I'll see you soon Minato-san." Kasumi said, hugging the young man who laughed and hugged her as well into a bear hug before he left and heard Kasumi lock up before he headed home with a smile. Kasumi was special.

Kasumi made sure everything was locked up as she yawned and headed upstairs but stopped by Kakashi's room first. He was lying on his stomach with just his mask and boxers on and Kasumi sat next to him as she picked up the arnica oil and warmed it in her hands before she rubbed it gently into Kakashi's back tiredly.

"Susu?" Kakashi mumbled tiredly with his head turned to look at her with extremely lidded eyes and Kasumi kept her hands gentle.

"It'll help bring out the pain and bruises quicker. Go back to sleep little otouto." Kasumi said gently as he hummed and fell back asleep straight away and Kasumi finished up and went to the bathroom before she crawled into bed into an uneasy sleep.

Kasumi lay on her bed as she stared at the snow falling outside her window. The house was clean and too quiet without Kakashi or her tou-san home and it was half way through the holidays already and she was already board… She'd rather be board at the academy than at home because then at least she had Obito to talk to. The house had been a lot emptier for the first two weeks as her tou-san had taken Kakashi away from the village to celebrate while Kasumi opted to stay there so she didn't ruin the 'Boy's' fun.

"I wonder what normal seven year olds do." Kasumi sighed out. She stood up and pulled on her usual outfit of tights with a little pleated skirt over it, her white button up blouse and her favourite hoodie as she locked up and headed out into the lightly falling snow. There weren't many people on the streets since it had been advised that you stay in doors as much as possible during the war since it had started out so badly but Kasumi didn't really see the whole deal… If someone were to invade it wouldn't make a difference if she was at home or out shopping, she would think the second option was better since the shopping district was along the main road towards the Hokage's Tower and the hidey-holes up on the mountain.

She turned down a street and headed in another direction with a small smile blooming on her face as she walked quicker before she was jogging down the streets and through the gates of the Uchiha district making the guards take a double take as she zoomed down the streets, greeting people she knew as most of them greeted back. She stopped at a door and knocked over zealously with a grin.

"Obito! Open up!" Kasumi called as she got both knuckles knocking continuously. The door finally opened with Obito glaring at her, still in his pyjamas and Kasumi grinned. "Want to come over today?" She asked and Obito woke up and blinked with shock and confusion.

"Over… You mean as in your house?" Obito asked as he wiped at his eye and yawned.

"Well yeah, that is what I meant…" Before Kasumi had even finished her sentence, Obito was gone as his shirt fell to the floor and there were frantic steps around the house and she blinked.

"I'll be ready in a minute!" Obito called and Kasumi laughed, picking up his shirt and hanging it on his coat race as she waited in the frame of the door and looked around, his little abode wasn't exactly clean but it wasn't as bad as a slob's either and she smiled. It dropped as soon as she thought about the genjutsu her tou-san put on her and she scowled… She'd still like to see him happy than regard her own feelings.

"Hey, Kasumi. Are you okay?" Obito asked as he came around the corner, shrugging on his blue and orange jacket with the Uchiha crest on the back.

"Yeah… I'm fine, just remembering something, that's all. You ready to go?" She asked, stepping out of his house with him as he locked up and fixed his orange goggles.

"Race you." Obito grinned before he took off and Kasumi gaped before she took after him with a smile. Kasumi caught up no problem having focused on speed and stamina rather than strength, which was her huge weakness and disadvantage, as she over took Obito and kind of led the rest of her way back to her house.

"Whoa… It's huge!" Obito shouted to the house with his arms open and Kasumi giggled as she unlocked the house.

"Nah, not really compared to other clan compounds and head houses, I think your house is just the right size for you." Kasumi said as she stepped in and toed off her snowshoes and Obito followed as they hung up their jackets and closed up the warm house. "I'll give you a grand tour." She said, grabbing his wrist and pulling the awe dazed Obito along as she showed him everywhere in the house.

They ended up watching movies and criticising them since they normally had to keep quiet because Rin got so engrossed into them but this was something Obito and Kasumi shared in common and enjoyed analysing movies and situations and how the producers should have done it and such. Along the way they ate three bags of popcorn and a two-litre soda after watching a trilogy of movies.

"God, I'm hungry for some real food." Obito whined as the credits rolled on the screen and stretched on the oversized couch and Kasumi hummed.

"Well… Kakashi should be getting home soon and he'll be hungry, want to stay over for dinner?" Kasumi asked as she stood and stretched, waiting for Obito's answer as he hummed.

"As long as it's not junk food and real cooked food, sure." Obito said as he stood up and followed her to the kitchen and sat at the counter, cradling his chin in his hands as he watched Kasumi move around the kitchen, looking for food. Kasumi finally decided on stir fry chicken as she stood on her little steps and reached up, levering one leg on the counter as she reached for the seasoning. She felt her foot slip on her step before she began to fall backwards and vaguely remembered dropping oil on the steps earlier that she forgot to clean.

Kasumi shut her eyes as she impacted against something and the sound of an 'oomph' before everything stopped. She cracked one eye open and felt her arms were around something warm and soft.

"Are you okay?" Obito asked with worry as he grinned, tightening his grip he had on her back and legs. Kasumi opened both of her eyes and looked up at Obito who was looking down at her with worry in his eyes behind the orange goggles and Kasumi swallowed and shifted, her face beginning to prickle and heat up into a fierce burn of red.

"Y-yeah thanks uh… Are you okay? I didn't hurt you as I fell did I?" Kasumi asked and Obito just smiled and shook his head. Kasumi's arms shifted behind his neck as her fingers brushed against his hair.

'So soft…' She vaguely thought as her fingers brushed back against it and her eyes drooped slightly with a slight smile before there was a clearing of a throat and Obito turned towards the doorway where Kakashi stood with his arms crossed.

"I hope I'm not interrupting am I?" Kakashi asked with clear annoyance by his scowl and eyebrows knitted together slightly and the way he leaned on one leg. Obito laughed nervously as Kasumi squirmed slightly, knowing her face was on fire as she stepped down onto her own two feet and almost whined like a kid when she unwrapped her arms from around Obito's neck and stood next to him.

"No Kakashi, you're not. I just slipped and Obito caught me before I hurt myself… I've um I've got to use the bathroom quickly, I'll be right back to cook dinner, Obito's staying for dinner by the way." Kasumi said as she made her way over to Kakashi by the door way and hesitated right next to him. "Be nice." She growled, too low for Obito to hear and Kakashi sighed slightly.

Kasumi practically ran to the bathroom and shut the door a little harder than usual as she leaned her back against the door, breathing heavily with her cheeks flushed but she was smiling still as she recalled how soft his hair was and how warm he was… No, he likes Rin and they balance each other out perfectly, she and Obito would clash like they do on most things and they would both just end up hurt. He caught Kasumi so effortlessly and she fit so perfectly and…

Kasumi shook her head as she walked over to the sink and put the plug in as she filled it with cold water and dumped her face into it and replayed the genjutsu in her mind as she allowed the pain to override what had just happened in the kitchen and let tears mix with the water as she focused on other things about Obito and Rin being together and them being happy.

Once her hopes and what happened had faded in her mind a little, she raised her head out of the water and gasped for air as it burned in her lungs… How long had she been under for? She watched the water pour down the drain as she grabbed a hand towel and wiped her face and looked in the mirror. She looked into her eyes and saw her own pain there but her face was neutral like usual and she decided it was good enough. She hung up the towel and tied her hair up into a messy bun as she pulled her bangs out and took a deep breath before heading back towards the kitchen.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kakashi sighed quietly from the long day of training. Minato-sensei was brutal but precise which is what Kakashi wanted in a sensei. He toed off his shoes and heard two voices from the kitchen and stood in the doorway with shock for a second before it turned to annoyance.

Uchiha Obito was in his house, carrying his sister like a damsel in distress. Kasumi's face was extremely red, like he's some of his fan girl's some times and red anger filled his eyes.

"I hope I'm not interrupting am I?" Kakashi spat out venomously as Obito spun around and visibly paled and Kasumi looked at him innocently as her eyes seemed to get some intelligence back in them from the hearts that he could see almost animatedly swirling in her mind.

"No Kakashi, you're not. I just slipped and Obito caught me before I hurt myself… I've um I've got to use the bathroom quickly, I'll be right back to cook dinner, Obito's staying for dinner by the way." Kasumi answered as she squirmed out of Obito's hold and he saw how slowly she was detaching herself from him and he growled slightly in his throat as she walked towards him and stopped. "Be nice." She growled into his ear before he saw her run off down the hallway and almost slam the bathroom door before his murderous gaze shifted to the Uchiha.

"What were you doing with my sister?" Kakashi asked harshly as he leaned his shoulder against the doorframe and Obito fidgeted on his feet.

"Nothing! She invited me over, we watched movies and offered me dinner. There was oil on her stand as she slipped and I caught her, that's all!" Obito blurted out and Kakashi's gaze narrowed. The two boys stood there glaring at each other for a while before Kakashi shifted to stand up properly and turned around, narrowing his eyes further over his shoulder.

"Keep it that way Uchiha." Kakashi growled before he walked off to clean himself up and get ready for dinner… It was turning into a really long day.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kasumi could feel the tension between the two as she slurped up her noodles and her eyes darted between them. Kakashi had finished his food in a flash while Obito and Kasumi were still eating with Obito glaring back at Kakashi with a pout and Kasumi inaudibly sighed.

"How was your day Kakashi?" Kasumi finally asked as Kakashi sat back in his seat with his arms crossed, eyes never leaving Obito who was fidgeting under his gaze as he glared back.

"Minato-sensei taught me one hundred ways to incapacitate someone without killing them… My favourite one was breaking their limbs and performing something called Ling Chi by slicing off slivers of their skin until they bleed to death or the pain kills them first." Kakashi said blankly as Kasumi swallowed hard on her food choking her and Obito visibly paled… He felt like every single word Kakashi said was directed directly at him.

"The perfect dinner conversation… Thank you Kakashi." Kasumi sighed, putting her chopsticks down with loosing her appetite.

"I think I better go before it gets too dark Kasumi." Obito said as he set his chopsticks down and stood with Kasumi who sighed.

"You're right, be careful on your way home Obito. I'll see you sometime." Kasumi said as she unlocked the door and Obito ran home. Kasumi sighed as she locked up again and headed into the dinning room where she collected the dishes. "And then you wonder why I never invite my friends over when you or Otou-sama are here?" Kasumi deadpanned at Kakashi still sitting at the table and he laughed almost evilly.

"Where was Rin tonight? I would have thought she would have been the first one to come over?" Kakashi asked as he stretched back in his chair.

"She's volunteering at the hospital with her mother since they're low on medics because of the war." Kasumi explained as she wiped the table over.

"I think they're holding you back." Kakashi said coolly as he followed Kasumi into the kitchen and sat on the counter on the other side of the sink where she was washing up.

"You may wish to be friendless through your life but I do not, besides I don't think anything but death could separate us three." Kasumi chuckled slightly and Kakashi tilted his head in consideration.

"Maybe…" Kakashi mused with a sigh. It stayed silent after that as Kasumi finished up and cleaned the lounge area after a popcorn fight when her and Obito had an argument over a fact in the movie they were watching and Kakashi had disappeared somewhere to do his own thing.

Kasumi sighed as she relaxed in a bath with a smile on her face. She had been tired lately for no apparent reason and had an unsettled feeling in her stomach since Kakashi came home and began missions and she wondered why, she knew Minato would take care of her little otouto out there no matter the mission. She couldn't dwell on it as she got out of the bath and dressed for bed, falling into a nightmare where she fell forever and never stopped.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Kasumi gasped awake as she heard banging coming from down stairs and she stiffened… She was all alone in the house. Kakashi was away on a mission with Minato and her tou-san was out on a very important mission and shouldn't be back for another week when the academy stats up again for the New Year.

Kasumi's breathing picked up with panic as she heard movement around the house now, moving up the stairs and she tried to concentrate on what to do… Should she try to escape… No there was only one way out and she wouldn't be able to jump out of her window because of the spiky fence right under it, she couldn't clear it properly. Confronting the person was a sure way to get herself killed… Fein sleeping was her best option as she reached under her mattress for the emergency kunai her tou-san had placed there just in case. She took a silently deep breath as she laid down, closing her eyes so far she could barely see shadows but it looked like she was sleeping.

He door opened and her body was tense as she waited, watching the figure of a man move across her room and focused on breathing deeply and not letting her eyelids flutter even the tiniest bit. The figure sat on her bed as she smelt dirt and sweat of a man and she gripped the kunai tighter under her blanket.

"Was it the right choice?" Her tou-san's voice said as his hand swept across her hair and she opened her eyes with a shaky breath of relief.

"Otou-sama?" Kasumi asked as he looked down at her with a tired smile and she sat up, wrapping her arms around his neck, letting tears of panic wash through her has he stroked her back. "You shouldn't be back yet, I was so scared it was someone else." Kasumi said in a whisper as she felt her father's arms wrap around her tightly.

"I'm sorry baby girl." Sakumo said in a cracking voice. "I didn't mean to scare you." Sakumo said as Kasumi released him and put the kunai under her pillow, sitting back on her bed, looking up at her tired father.

"Do you want a cup of tea?" Kasumi asked and Sakumo laughed as she saw something glint in his eye and then down his cheek and he ran the back of his fingers against her cheek.

"No, that's perfectly fine. Go back to sleep, I just want to sit here for a while." Sakumo said as he tucked Kasumi back in and she fell into a rhythmic breathing and after a while her father began to talk to no one.

"I still don't know if it was the right choice after what I heard when I returned with my living teammates… He said now that this mission was a failure that Iwa will wage war and the other countries will follow and it's going to be all of my fault." Sakumo said in a cracking and half sobbing voice as he continued to stroke Kasumi's cheek and her hair now and again. "Nozomi, what would have you done in my position? I've never failed such an important mission before but you always use to make the right choices so was mine right?" Sakumo asked and then sighed in annoyance.

"Kasumi may look like you and even be a lot like you but I can't expect my daughter to stand in for you, she doesn't have the experience you did… Please lead us in the right direction my love." Sakumo said as he bent down and kissed Kasumi's cheek before he left and Kasumi sat up in bed with confusion and worry for her father.

"Otou-sama… Just what happened?" Kasumi wondered out in a whisper of worry… She didn't sleep any more that night with her worry and her recurring nightmare but the feeling in her stomach seemed to have intensified. "Come home safely Kakashi, Minato-san."

XXXXXXXXXX

It was mid afternoon by the time her father came down stairs, acting like nothing happened and Kasumi 'smiled' at him and tried her best to hide her concern or her worry for her exhausted father. He had rings under his eyes and hadn't shaved in a while either by his white stubble around his chin and jaw as he drank his coffee and Kasumi cooked up a good greasy breakfast for her father and even kissed him on the cheek, hating the feel of the stubble but anything to cheer her father up a tiny bit as she got to her daily chores.

"Are you done for the day?" Sakumo asked as she was digging under the sink in the cleaning supplies, putting everything away.

"Yes why? What do you need Otou-sama?" Kasumi asked, closing the cupboard and turning to face him.

"I'd like to train you. Are you free now?" He asked sternly in his fatherly way and Kasumi stood up straighter with a face matching his own.

"Yes Otou-sama." Kasumi said as he turned and began walking. He'd usually smile at her with pride before they got going but this time there was no smile… No regard for her as his beloved daughter but as a possible shinobi in training and they stood facing each other in the training field behind their house.

"Survival. Survive the night because I'm not going easy on you anymore Kasumi." Sakumo said sternly as he formed hand seals and some of his vicious ninken appeared, the less humane and trained ninja hounds… These were like hungry wolves and Kasumi gulped and wanted to cry but she knew by the cold hard killing look in her father's eye she would die if she showed weakness.

She jumped up into the trees for cover as she tried to formulate a plan as the hounds chased after her, the sun setting the world into a too happy orange colour as she ran for her life through the trees. She had no weapons on her, nothing but her clothes and her fists against four vicious black dogs as big as she was, not to mention her father was probably in the hunt as well.

He was no longer her father but the perfect emotionless shinobi he thought he should be… During the night, he must have killed his emotions some how because he didn't make a sound… A robot ninja twenty-four seven and that made Kasumi shiver as she could hear the dogs behind her.

It was no more playing around as she thought about a dog. Excellent sense of smell, strong jaws for snapping bone and ripping flesh, amazing speed… Little flexibility and the ones that were after her thought like a dog and put their whole selves into the hunt which is a good and a bad thing as she jumped into the field of flowers that had begun to blossom with spring and she ducked low as the dogs stopped and sniffed around, snapping at each other now and again. She got rid of her clothes and rubbed them in the dirt and against the flowers before she put them back on and spat into her hands, mixing it with mud as she lathered it through her hair, turning it brown and no longer sticking out like a dime to a raven and rubbed some on her skin where she was sweating already.

"Separate and conquer." Kasumi sighed, peaking over the tops of the flowers, seeing the dogs still together up ahead. The only question was if her father was in the hunt as well… She wouldn't survive if he was. She picked up a rock and spat on it as well and rubbing it against her skin that still had her scent on it under her clothes and she threw it as far as she could as it made a clank, one dog ran off towards it as she walked carefully through the flowers after the lone dog.

"Separate and conquer." Kasumi sneered more viciously as she came up to the dog from behind and jumped onto it's back, hitting it's head with another rock she found and it disappeared in a poof… Signalling the other dogs as she was off through the trees again… It was going to be a long night.