why do i still post these when practically no one's even reviewing? at least i get more reviews on tokyopop than here

disclaimer: same as norm

The minutes dragged on. After a while he grew bored and started tidying up the place. When that was somewhat done, he checked in on Mrs. Aikawa, but she was sound asleep with her sewing in her lap. He walked back out and sat at the table, thinking.

It's so weird that they have no electricity here. Most of the clothing is strange too. Sora is also the only one I've seen with odd colored eyes. I wonder what she's making. I hope she isn't burning it again because she's pissed.

He sat there thinking of the time he's spent with Sora. Her attitude and how she commanded authority in some situations but demanded equality in others. How she could be strong and cruel with one person while being gentle to another at the same time and fixing their wounds.

He remembered her laugh and smile when he told her about one of Naruto's ways of trying to see under his mask, and how angry he'd gotten when he found another mask underneath. Kakashi enjoyed seeing her smile.

Naruto, Sakura, and Sai had just gotten back to the village and had gone directly to the hokage.

"But we've got to find him! What if he's hurt or worse, what if an enemy ninja caught him!?" Naruto glared at Tsunade.

Tsunade looked calmly at Naruto. "You three looked up and down that river. What did you find?"

Sakura stepped forward. "We found his hitai-ate and his bag."

"Sakura, you're a medic nin, do you think anyone would've survived that fall and those rapids and that waterfall, all at once?" Tsunade looked calmly at her pupil.

Sakura looked down. "No, Hokage-sama."

All three looked down and Tsunade realized how much they cared for their sensei. "We can't let another village get a hold of his jutsus so I will send out another team to look for him and you three are to accompany them to the place where Kakashi-san fell. You are to also help them locate his body, is that understood?"

The other three looked up happily. They still didn't believe that Kakashi was dead.

Sora walked back in carrying a large, covered bowl. Kakashi got up and took the bowl from her and placed it on the table. Sora came over and dug three bowls and spoons out of her bag. Opening the dish, she scooped out some for Mrs. Aikawa and took it to her. Kakashi continued pouring more in for both of them in the other two bowls. Sora came back out and grabbed a bowl and sat next to Kakashi.

"Did he show up?"

Kakashi shook his head no.

"What could he have gotten into to cause this much trouble for him?"

They ate in silence. After all three of them finished Sora cleaned out the dishes and left what was left over of the stew near the new flame Kakashi had built up in the fireplace to keep warm. She then went about making some quick bread. Kakashi helped her. It was another of the things they enjoyed doing together and they didn't need to talk to each other that much while doing it. They just enjoyed one another's company.

When the dough was starting to bake the rain was starting to fall.

Sora looked out the door. "I hope that boy doesn't get caught in too much of this." She walked back to the table and sat down then remembered something and dug it out of the bag. When she pulled it out, Kakashi realized it was his kunai and shuriken bag. "I figured you'd might want these in case that boy was in some serious trouble."

Kakashi smiled and pulled out the bandages in it and started wrapping his leg to put the bag on. When it was secured to his right leg he took out the kunai and shuriken and counted them; five kunai and nine shuriken.

This won't help much, but it's better than nothing, he thought.

The light outside was fading fast so Sora got up, grabbed a candle out of the bunch on the counter and lit it from the fireplace, taking it into Mrs. Aikawa's room so she could see if she wanted to. She came back out with the empty bowl.

"Mrs. Aikawa is asleep."

Kakashi put his weapons back in the pouch. "What happened to Naoya's parents?"

Sora sat beside him again. "They were killed when he was 8. A huge fight broke out between this village and the one on the northwestern mountain range about a week's walk from here. That village sent a large amount of people over and they attacked this village in the middle of the night, killing many, including Naoya's parents."

Kakashi was unsure of what to say so he didn't say anything at all and they sat in silence, just staring at the fire and listening to the storm rage outside.

An hour had passed and Sora had just fallen asleep when Naoya burst in the door. The wind was blowing hard and the boy couldn't get the door closed easily so Kakashi stood up and shut it with one hand with no problem. The boy glared up at him. Confused, Kakashi stared blankly back.

"Naoya, where have you been?" Sora stood up and grabbed a towel for the boy.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" he snapped back.

Sora froze and stared at the boy. "What's your problem?"

He looked away from both of them, "Nothing, just answer my question."

Kakashi reached down and smacked the boy across his head. "Watch your language."

The boy glared back up at him, his bruises shining in the firelight. "Why do you care? You're not my father!"

Sora came over and threw the towel into the boy's face. "No, but we're your friends and you don't treat your friends like that."

Naoya pulled the towel off and draped it around his small shoulders.

"Where did you get those bruises?" Kakashi asked gently.

"It's none of your business."

Sora clenched her fists and was about to chew him out when Kakashi motioned for her to wait. Kneeling so he was eye level he asked, "Why won't you answer any of our questions?"

"Because it's none of your damn business!"

Sora was about to snap when Kakashi shot her a look that made her stop. He then looked back at the boy. "Then why aren't you at least helping your grandmother?"

Naoya looked away. "She can take care of herself."

"No, she can't and you know it," Kakashi said quietly.

The boy was fighting tears now. "Why don't you just leave me alone?"

"We will when you tell us why you have those bruises."

Sora was standing back watching Kakashi coax the boy out of his stubborn shell.

"I got into fights, happy now?"

"And why were you fighting?"

Naoya glared back at the white-haired man. "I answered your question now you keep your end of the bargain and leave me alone."

Kakashi remained calm and answered, "You only answered half of my question. Fighting isn't enough of an excuse to answer why you have those bruises. What you're doing is putting your grandma in jeopardy."

"How?" The boy was still staring at Kakashi.

"She needs your help to keep her going and you're putting those duties off, and whatever fights you get into, those you fight may try and harm your grandma to get to you. Do you want that to happen?"

"No."

"Then you need to stop whatever it is that you're doing," Kakashi replied.

"It's too late for that," the boy mumbled looking down.

"Why's that?"

He didn't respond.

"Naoya, what did you do?" Kakashi's voice got a small hard tone to it.

The boy didn't look up.

"Did someone follow you here?"

Some squelching came from outside and a blur passed in front of the bottom part of a window. The sound was only audible to his ears though because the others didn't take any notice.

"Some guys tried, but I lost them in the storm," Naoya said stubbornly.

"Sora, go get Aikawa-san and hide her in a room without windows," Kakashi said without moving from his position.

"Why?" she asked calmly.

"You need to hide yourself and Naoya there as well."

"Why Kakashi?"

"He was followed."

there is fighting in the next chapter and something evil is done to kakashi (u think pervertedly then ur waaaaaaay off track lol)