Happy New Year! I know its late...but school jsut started and did it ever. No major nasty pojects just a lot of essays so this is a plus. I can write two things at once finally! Oh and OMG I got an mp3 player (waves arms dramatically) I wanted one for ever..now I can litsen to music without it skipping when I accidentally throw it to the floor (I'll try to avoid that this time)!

Anyways I want to thank CoffeeVixen76 (I know I say it everytime) but she puts up with my crazy spelling everytime I send her a chapter to look over for me. Her help as been amazing!

Alright so I want to also say that OMG Village hidden in the wind has over 9000page views. Thanks everyone. the reviews were awsome too. I try to reply to each of them as soon as I know they're there (my email and the site sometimes aren't on the same time line I swear).

Also Thank you Darkyukirin for the great review...I agree Asuma's death was crappy! I wished he would miraculously live!

Okay so on to the story. The last few chapters were mostly Kakashi going through some hard times. This chapter is less depressing (well in parts...I did warn people that this part will start out really dark). There are a few cute parts and no I'm not telling...read it. Also a shock. So really I'm going to send you all on a roller coaser ride again (to think I've never been on one...not a good idea I bet...I'm scared to death of flying even ahem...)

So I will leave you all to read this! Please reivew. I will answer any questions you have (I'm sure there are some who haven't read the first part so ask if you don't get it and I'll point you in the right direction). Your comments will also help me with the next chapter...my plan is to have that sent to CoffeeVixen76 next week. Any comments I appreciate and I do make a point of replying. For those of you who are shy please feel free to send me an email.

Chapter 4: Surprise!

What the hell was he doing? Sitting on the floor he realized he had fallen out of bed. The blanket was wrapped around him tightly constricting his breathing, what amazed him more was the fact that he was wide awake…and feeling something strange. Looking down he realized his problem. He had had another dream, but this one wasn't like the others.

"Bloody hell!" He muttered as he hobbled to his bathroom.

A few minutes later he made his way to the kitchen and realized he had run out of food two days ago. So far the day was not how he planned it. Everything was falling apart and as far as he was concerned the world could just screw off for just once.

On days like this though he was glad he had moved out of his smaller home…or room. He had no clue why but for some reason the apartment seemed to be calling to him.

"Ah, hello…can I help you?" An older woman asked as she was opening her door. He knew she was the manager of the place…somehow, but he wasn't sure how he knew that.

"Mah…" He rubbed the back of his neck and looked to the ground sheepishly. "I'm sorry. My apartment was…damaged and I need a new place…I heard you had one."

The older woman scrutinized him with a careful eye, this made him very nervous. Slowly she placed her groceries by the door and then looked him up and down once more.

"Normally I don't take shinobi…especially male shinobi… I find they cause me trouble when they come back drunk." She grumbled.

"Hmm…well if it's a problem then I can go elsewhere…I don't intend to cause trouble…although I rarely drink or have the time to even bother."

The older woman looked at him again more closely and raise an eye brow. "And how many young men as you have told me the same? Perhaps you have damaged your previous place."

Kakashi was expecting this and pulled out a form. "This will tell you how it happened. Currently I am the one paying for the repairs but personally I would prefer more privacy than where I was." He handed it to her.

She then looked at the name. "Hatake…hmmm you must be Sakumo-san's son…this is interesting." She read further. "Water damage? How did this happen?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. I'm sure it was a hole in the roof, if not then a water pipe possibly." Kakashi then looked to her groceries. She was quite old and he was surprised she had even managed to carry them…although he still found it odd. She had to be at least in her seventies…how was she still able to manage the place so well?

"Well I can show you a few rooms, some are slightly different than others; you know how some love to decorate." She waved a hand and walked up the stairs signaling him to follow.

"How long have you been managing this place?" Kakashi was now going to test her, something bugged him.

"Oh…hmmm…Since I was twenty-five. I had more trouble then than I do now…I suppose some of the young people still have some respect for the elderly."

Kakashi nodded, that was fair enough.

She showed him two rooms but he found them annoying and dysfunctional. He needed a place that was easy to maneuver in and was somewhat open, it just seemed to be a preference after the cramped spaced he lived in since he was alone.

Then he spotted a door…one he recognized, a slip of paper was taped to it stating that it was vacant. Something about it peek his curiosity.

"What about this one…Apartment 209?" It was the last in the hall next to the stairs.

"Oh dear you don't want that one. No one has lived there since the last tenant."

"Why not?" The old woman looked to the ceiling.

"I'm not sure; it just seemed no one wanted the location or the layout. It's a shame really."

"Who was the last tenant?" He needed to know this, for some reason it was familiar.

"Well…I don't remember her name for a strange reason but she was very young, just a teenager, barely owned a thing. She was quite the pretty thing, and a good shinobi. Rumor has it she was a victim of a vicious battle or killed by a maniac…I've herd so many about her that I'm really not sure what is true, some even say she's still alive working as a mercenary. My guess is she'd be around your age now if it were true."

"So she was a good tenant then?"

"Oh yes If I saw her face again I'd know her name. She was very sweet always helping me with my groceries and calming down the other tenants when something horrible happened. She was a caring heart. Really if she were hear Konohoa would truly be a better place than it is now. She just seemed to glow with life." The woman smiled as though remembering the old days. "What a shame. I was going to ask her if it was okay if I adopted her into my family, but I'm sure she would just smile and turn me down."

"Hmm she sounded like a wonderful girl." Kakashi smiled back. Mentally he decided to do much the same at least to help the older woman.

"It was nice to see her with so many people, especially that sweet chuunin at the academy." The woman then unlocked the door and let it open slowly.

The first room was the living room. He could tell no one had even set foot in the room for ages. Dust covered the floor so think that he left foot prints from when he stepped past the threshold of the door. What amazed him more was the apartment was well furnished…something he needed. Everything had a white sheet draped over it.

"She also had another friend…you reminded me of him. He was quite similar but I rarely saw him and when I did he seemed to melt into the shadows. I'm sure he's an excellent shinobi now." She laughed. "He had a stubborn streak though, scared me to death several times and my goodness the tongue on the boy. I wanted to grab him by his fluffy white hair and wash out his mouth so many times. Still he made everything lively. Sent the girl on rampages in a livid rage down the hall so many times I laugh about it still." The old woman giggled like she was younger just then.

Kakashi stared at her and looked at her with a confused look. A boy with fluffy white hair…reminded her of him…how? There were no other boys the same age or around the same age with hair like his…he knew that. This was all so very strange.

Then the old woman stopped and looked at him once more.

"Well shall we go and take a look?"

"Yes."

She waved her arm out to the room they were now standing in. "This room is the living room. Often I met her here to discuss payment. The table here is made of oak so very solid. The couch there is old so be careful with it, is an antique. Ah yes that table there, if you don't want it just tell me and I'll take it."

The reason for this was the table had been set in front of the entrance to the kitchen which had no door but was walled off from the other two rooms.

"Why is it there?"

"I'm not sure, when I came every time she had it bare but that was where she wanted it." The woman laughed as she walked to the kitchen.

The walls were tiled under the cabinets which were made of a dark finished wood. So far he really liked it. Everything was well placed and in an orderly way.

"Personally I find this kitchen to be quite small. I never knew it till I came one night but she would make gourmet meals in here. I still wonder to this day how she managed it."

"She was a good cook then?" That was interesting, someone so young cooking meals like that. At times he himself had no clue where he had learned to cook but at the age of the person the old woman described was…odd.

"Oh, the best. She taught many of the people here. She never charged those who had troubles scraping money together but charged those with extra to spend, at the same time she would teach them a little extra so that they would accept her terms."

"That's a strange way to do business." Kakashi looked around, opened a cupboard and shut it, it made no sound what so ever.

"Ah yes she decided that if they wanted a lesson from her they might as well pay, they could have gone to any culinary school in Konohoa as well and probably would have learned more. In the end everyone was satisfied."

Kakashi nodded, he probably wouldn't have done any different either, although he had no will to deal with people like that. He just wasn't the person.

"Well this way." She led him to the final major room. The bedroom was located next to the kitchen. He liked this best since he didn't have to go far in case he wanted a meal. He was surprised to even find the bed still in place.

"This room was probably the one to see when she was here. She never closed the door or stopped anyone from wandering, actually she loved to just sit there and listen to people when they came to see her. Quite a few quarrels happened here between her and that chuunin though." She smiled. "He still comes to help me from time to time."

That comment took Kakashi aback, Iruka was everywhere…and yet nowhere…this was annoying…it was his job to be like that.

"Ah and the bathroom...I doubt I need to show you. It's small but has a nice deep bath and shower, the sink next to it and so on." She looked back to him and frowned. "She spent a lot of time helping her other friend here, especially with his eye…I never saw it though…bandages always seemed to cover it at the time, poor thing." She shook her head in sadness and looked up to him with a faint smile. "I never saw him again after she vanished. I do miss him, even though he ruffled my feathers. It's sad to see a soul so damaged and torn, the girl always made him feel better. I guess you remind me of him." Then she laughed, "With that ratty hatai-ate tilted so, I wouldn't be too surprised if you were that boy."

For sure he knew somehow that was him, but why did he not have the memories of those days, if he did he would have been happier than he was now. Still he was sure there was a reason for his attraction to the place so he just simply decided to find out why.

It was still new to him months after he bought the place. Everything was close by. Before he had to walk out of his room to use the bathroom or to shower in a less private place…something he disliked. He no longer had to share the kitchen with everyone on his floor, and for that he was thankful; there was simply less mess for him to clean up. And most of all there were no green spandex clad ninjas with bad hair cuts screaming at the top of their lungs demanding a challenge at two in the morning.

Slipping his shirt on he noticed the rain falling outside. He hadn't even heard it when he had woken up.

"How fitting." He muttered. He was now three and a half weeks behind with his reply back to Canyon. At this point he wasn't really sure what to say to her or how to say it. Everyday she would invade his dreams, be it sleeping or awake. How was he to tell her that everything is okay when really for an odd reason he needed her to be okay?

Muttering more he then grabbed his flack jacket. For some strange reason it felt much looser than it was before. Either way he had to go and check on what was waiting for him. Chances were nothing. Tsunade was set on keeping him in the village.

"She's watching me…I don't know why."

Grabbing his untied hetai-ate he wrapped it round his head and stopped when he got a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

"What?"

This is wrong…when was I this…sickly? No wonder she's been keeping me here even though I try to tell her I'm fine.

Much to his surprise the face he saw was strange almost alien, more so than before anyways. His eyes seemed to be slightly more inset into his face, there were holes in his cheeks and his skin was as white as a sheet, at least more than it was before.

"What the hell happened to me?"

He had lost some weight he knew that, some of it he wanted to in the first place, due to his unexpected hospital stays. However now he was worried. This meant he was most likely out of shape.

"Not good…If Gai sees me now I'm doomed to a match of taijutsu and I doubt I would win. What the hell happened to make me get like this?"

He wasn't totally sure, but someone might tell him. Today just really sucked like a thorn in his side.

Down the hall he found the old landlord trying to lift a large box. He knew she couldn't and still pitied her, that her family had left her to fend for herself.

"Let me get that." Kakashi came up to her side and easily lifted the box. "You shouldn't be lifting these heavy boxes anymore. They're far too heavy for you." He scolded.

She just simply laughed at him and waved her hand. "Feeling helpful today are we?" She teased. "My, you need to put some meat on those bones."

"Hmm…" Kakashi sighed and carried it to her apartment. "Why didn't they help you?"

"Ah…they weren't there by the time I came." She then smiled. "I sleep deeper than I used to." She then smiled. "Being old can sometimes be a pain, but the wisdom that comes with it is worth it. I don't need to do foolish things that the young do."

Kakashi chuckled quietly. "Tell me about it." He placed the box down and rubbed the back of his neck. Naruto was the embodiment of youth, he did everything he could that was foolish or made him look that way. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Oh?"

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!!!" Iruka waved to him energetically from across the road.

"Ah…but it can wait…I'll be by later to ask you what was on my mind" he then hugged her and left with a quick wave.

Is this what it's like to have a mother or a grandparent?

Iruka tapped his foot impatiently. Kakashi was a nice guy but so very slow.

"Hurry up." He fidgeted wanting to go already, he hated that Kakashi always took his time for just about everything.

"What's the hurry?" Kakashi looked at him quizzically.

"I need you to look at something for me." Iruka tried hard not t bounce from foot to foot but it just seemed to be the day for it. Kakashi on the other hand seemed a little more ruffled than normal.

"Okay…" He sounded apprehensive but from the way he looked Iruka decided it didn't matter.

Grabbing Kakashi's arm he dragged him to the academy. "I have a class but after I need you to look at something, I think you're the only one who will know about it."

"Wait." Kakashi pulled to a halt, "Why the hell are you taking me now."

"Surprise." Iruka grinned. He had never come up with the idea until he saw Kakashi talking to his new landlord. How he didn't see this new way to get back at the jounin and make him never forget it.

He was in a good mood. Rain always seemed to do that, so did the sun. However for some reason this one day was more charged than any other.

Dodging through the trees Akane realized how close she was getting; the snow was thinning but making everything slippery. She didn't have much time before it caught up with her. The low system was moving slowly but it began picking up speed faster than she had predicted. For her this meant more snow, and worse wind.

"Damn it!" Her foot had slipped and caught into a knot in the tree she landed on. "That's not good, that will slow me down…but I need to get there." Pulling her leg out she checked her balance. "Good enough for running still."

Continuing it took her over two hours before she reached the river that ran into the Valley of the End. This meant she was almost there. Stopping in a tree before a clearing she took a look to the sky, the snow was now falling harder. She was falling behind.

"If I'm not careful I'm going to get caught in this, and with the wind approaching there'll be a snow storm…this seriously can't be happening." She muttered before jumping out of the tree.

Entering the courtyard of the Academy Iruka screeched to a halt causing Kakashi to momentarily crash into him. Several children where playing a sort game, but Iruka wasn't in the mood to see what it was they were up to.

"HEY!" They all froze and looked at him wide eyed. "WHERE SHOULD YOU BE?"

All five boys turned pale and ran like hell to the door. No one was going to mess with Umino Iruka and they knew it. Naruto had taught him a lot, mostly how to deal with hellions.

"Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka ignored him there was no way he was going to lose, not this time. And he was absolutely not going to let go of his sleeve, not ever!

"Shut up and do as I say."

"Why should I do that? It should be the other way around." But he stopped Iruka knew how to scare him.

"Okay…I'll listen…just put that away." He was referring to the death glare he had just received.

Iruka laughed, he had never heard that one before and it was funny. "Okay well come on." Still dragging the jounin he had diligently captured into the building he was sure Kakashi avoided consistently. And he knew why!

Making his way to the classroom he waited quietly.

"What are you doing?" Kakashi knew nothing about classroom dynamics or the children he taught, that was clearly obvious.

"I know better to fall for their pranks." Iruka watched the room and his desk very carefully. "Since Naruto not one was able to catch me, or prank me, and I plan to keep it that way."

Kakashi scratched his head. "So you spy on them…and then nail them." Iruka winced. He knew it was a little mean but they were asking for it for tormenting him for all this time. "You're a genius!" Kakashi laughed.

Iruka stared, since when was he a genius in Kakashi's eyes? This was getting weird. First the man drove him mad, and then he followed him like some crazed stalker. Later he decided to torture him by subjecting him to torment. Finally they were friends…somehow and now he's being complimented…how was he to get that?

"Watch this, that one there." He pointed to a boy looking out the window. "He's been trying to get me with super glue for two weeks now. I admit he has drive but it'll never work." Iruka laughed defiantly. "I find this entertaining in a way; I have to literally out smart them on a regular basis, probably the best training anyone can get. You're basically working against an imagination so limitless that once you learn the inner workings of it, most adults become quite simple. As shinobi we lose our ability to use an imagination as complex and lively as theirs." He frowned it was truly a shame only a few in his generation managed to hold on to themselves and something told him Kakashi to had lost that part of himself when his father fell into disgrace. "What I did differently with my students and these ones here as well is to teach them that no matter what they do they will be who they are and I don't care what you say I still consider everyone I taught a student of mine. Don't you dare think that I don't have any techniques of my own, you just never saw them." Iruka said as he glared at the jounin.

Everything he had mentioned last had bothered him for a long time. Kakashi seemed dead set on telling him that none of the students he taught are really his anymore, and yet they still treat him that way. At the same time his strength as a shinobi had been questioned. That really set him off. Kakashi was convinced he was really no stronger than Sakura, when in reality he had sworn to keep his abilities and skills hidden unless they were absolutely needed.

"Ahh…I never said that…" Iruka shook his head.

Liar

"Not true, you think you have one up on me…I've been chuunin a long time, I've been hazed a lot as a kid but why do you think no one bothers with me as much as they do with Izumo and Kotetsu?"

"Ah but those two are…"

"Chuunin, they're cleaver and work well…when they're together…but not the same." Iruka then grinned. "I was a prankster like Naruto when I was a kid; I haven't lost my touch either! As I told you there is a lot you don't know…even about this village."

Kakashi nodded. "I noticed that. No one else at the academy could stop Naruto dead in his tracks like I heard you did. I never knew you were ANBU either, it took me until later to realize it was you who was helping me hide her all those years ago…you had me and I admit you did a very good job." Kakashi then tilted his head and grinned turning his visible eye into an upside down crescent.

Iruka then laughed, "Well then too bad for you…I have one prank you can't escape. The grin on his face he knew was making him first look stupid and second suspicious but the effect was enough to enjoy the moment.

"What…?" Kakashi stopped smiling and froze. "What did you do?"

"Nothing…yet." Then suddenly he dragged his so called friend into the classroom while he ordered the children to all get back into their seats and to stop writing him nasty notes on the board…he knew it wasn't really true.

The snow came down so thick now that she had troubles seeing ten feet in front of her. This was not good, she couldn't le the case she carried get to cold, otherwise the vaccines will freeze ad the effects could be lost.

Jumping to a branch she felt her injured foot slip. The bark on the tree ground under her weight she could feel it cracking. Her arms waved as she tried to balance herself with her other foot but the vaccines were weighing her down. She could feel her body falling downwards but she also knew that she couldn't land the way she was about to.

Twisting in mid air she noticed one more branch she had overlooked and slammed right into it. Unfortunately the impact was too much to hold both her and the branch up, and in seconds she was once again falling.

She had been several feet high in the tree and this fall was going to hurt. Little did she know that under the moss she was headed to was covering a jagged rock. As she hit the ground there was not time for her to even register the sudden shot of pain in her skull and everything went completely blank, no sound could reach her.

"Alright class. Today will be a short day again, it seems you will be going with a jounin today out to the training fields." All the children looked up, a light shining in their eyes that made Kakashi quite uncomfortable. This meant a bunch of pint sized squirts all out in the training field with sharp pointy objects.

Every year he was surprised that none of Iruka's kids ever came to the hospital with a kunai embedded in their backsides but if there were he was sure to watch; especially since the chuunin sensei always seemed to have the difficult children to deal with.

Still he knew what Iruka was saying and it meant he, Kakashi was going to over see the most unruly children who are given the most widely used and deadly weapons in Konohoa…Oh goody.

This was not a good day!

"Today Kakashi-sensei will explain and teach you shuriken." As he said this Kakashi could make out the grin. He knew Iruka wanted to hand this to him to get him back for many of the earlier taunts and teasing he had put the chunnin through. After this he was sure Iruka could hold a few blackmails on him…but that didn't mean he couldn't use this situation to his benefit, after all Iruka still had to stay with the group and an absolute disaster (or what looks like one) would be more than entertaining for the day.

Kakashi just remained silent as he planned how he and the kids could catch the chuunin at his own game.

The image of Iruka freaking out was almost to much for him, as he tried not to show any signs of the snort he was trying to suppress…he couldn't let the teacher know he was on to him.

"But before we go out to the fields I want to see every single essay here on my desk." Iruka demanded avoiding the chair behind his desk, apparently he knew better.

Kakashi watched as the children neatly filed up to the front of the class room and handed Iruka their tests. It was amazing just how well they behaved. As they each waited their turns not one slapped, fidgeted, or threw anything across the room, instead they all remained silent and obedient. He was sure this show was all for him…they had to be worse.

"I must admit they are far more obedient than a team of ANBU." Kakashi smirked.

"I got lucky this year. Usually I get the stubborn kids, this year they've been pretty well behaved. Then again…it's possible a few rumors about me scared them into this…but I admit even today they're pretty good." Iruka smiled as he received the last and final paper. "And now it's your turn, think of this as a chance to brush up on your own skills."

Kakashi laughed nervously. "I'm not very good with these." He said this pointing to the room.

"Great make them sound like they're objects, that won't help and they sure won't respect you." Iruka snorted.

"Okay then I will have to scare them." Some froze on the spot.

"I'm sure you'll do it the right way." Iruka laughed.

Akane came to, she lifted her head and moaned, the pain on her head was unbearable but she had to get up. Lifting her head up she tried to get up but it seemed the fall had ruined her motor skills.

"Not good" Was all she managed apparently her speech was off as well.

Okay I'm about to panic.

"There. When ever you need help just pour chakra into it." His face smiled down at her with the slight tilt of his head that he always had when he was trying to be honest with her.

That's what I can do!

She was close enough that it shouldn't take him long to find her. She was sure she was at least a half hours run from the village. The good thing was the vaccine was still okay.

Kakashi glanced around the room and noticed a few he thought were going to be trouble. He had to watch them. The rest he knew would listen. Normally he avoided these situations as if his life depended on it. He didn't need to spend his time worrying about the children seated in front of him when really he felt it was Iruka's job.

"Well…since I have to do this on the fly…" He gave Iruka a sharp glare and turned to the students. "I would normally tell you to have at it…but none of you are genin." He looked at them once more. He was much younger when he had first begun learning how to throw such weapons.

Iruka shifted restlessly behind him.

"So I want you all to follow a few very simple rules. First I'm boss, not Iruka-sensei…no matter what he says." He could hear Iruka choke behind him while the children giggled at their teacher's sudden lurch of discomfort. "Second class mates are not targets. Even though it seems like a good idea these are sharp weapons and killing someone will get you kicked out, or it should."

Iruka nodded his agreement.

"Last…" A pain laced through his right hand. He decided to ignore it. "If I say…" Then again only this time his entire arm was hurting more sharply now that he had to wince.

"You okay, is it the injuries from the last mission?" Iruka asked quietly next to him grasping the same arm, but it did not hurt. He now knew it was not from an injury.

"Okay as I was saying If I say stop or not to throw…ugh…" The pain was nearly unbearable. Then he remembered the necklace…for it to hurt this intensely she was close by then…the he realized who he was thinking about.

Damn it not now…I would look bad, unreliable.

Kakashi slumped over grasping his arm, Iruka caught him. "I'll take over, just relax and figure out what this is." Slowly Kakashi nodded but little figuring is needed for this, he knew full well what it was.

Kotetsu yawned lazily at the gates as he watched his partner through his squinted eyes. The rain was falling so hard he had troubles just keeping hem open. Worse, they couldn't leave and get the rain gear; leaving their post was a high penalty the two had paid often enough.

"What?" Izumo hated getting wet. Kotetsu snorted as he felt the water that gathered from his hair drip down his nose. He thought the man should relax a bit; after all it was just a very cold and not so clean shower. Sure there was a damp smell you get when you get this wet but who says it's not refreshing?

"Nothing…just tired. How much longer are we on watch?"

"Another hour or two…it doesn't matter the Hokage will have us lugging stuff around." Izumo sighed. "I wish she would slow down…just a bit. The third was better about it."

Kotetsu laughed. This was a usual day and there was nothing going on, no one entering the village, no one leaving…nothing.

"Kotetsu!"

"What!" Kotetsu wiped the water from his face as he muttered about what was rain and suddenly became snow. This was not a good day for them.

"Look." Izumo pointed towards someone walking closer to them. At first he could almost make out who it was. He knew this was a jounin, but then the snow started to get worse.

"I think its…yep its gotta be Kakashi-sensei."

"You're kidding." Kotetsu glanced at his best friend. "He's been suspended from missions due to an injury."

"Really? I never heard that!" At times Izumo would hear things he missed, but then again this was strange normally Kakashi wouldn't just leave his village, alone." You sure there's no one with him, not even that kid?"

"Naruto, no he walked past with Kiba. Kakashi is alone."

"Ah…Did anyone enter the village within the last two hours?" Kakashi asked.

"Nope." Kotetsu smiled. "Are you looking for someone?"

"Mah…its fine, I'll be going now, I don't have much time." Kakashi smiled and then walked past them.

Both chuunin stood staring in confusion; it seemed Kakashi had been expecting the snow as well, since much of his clothing was thicker and heavier.

"What was that all about?" Izumo asked concern crossing his face. Kotetsu could barely make it out in the falling snow.

"Better yet that was weird."

"No kidding I wonder how he does it." To this Kotetsu shrugged he had no clue what this was about but from the looks of it Kakashi was planning on going for a long walk. His pack was heavy and rolled on the top was a thick field blanket.

"I wonder where he's off to in this." Izumo scratched his head.

"Should we talk to Tsunade-sama?"

"Not if we don't know for sure, he's Kakashi…for all we know he's training."

"In this?" Kotetsu couldn't believe that. He knew Kakashi was a famous Konohoa shinobi, he respected him for it; but naturally the silver haired man was lazy and would have rather stayed in even in this weather. He wasn't a fool, Gai maybe but not Kakashi. Something was up he could feel it in his gut.

"You know what Iruka-sensei says…I have to agree with him sometimes."

Kotetsu nodded and continued to watch through the archway. "I think we should close the village up, this is getting bad."

"No kidding."

Kakashi skidded to a stop in the heavy snow and pulled out a kunai and quickly sliced his finger. Finishing a set of seals he slammed his hand down in the snow. In a puff of cloud Pakkun and a few hounds appeared in front of him.

"Okay the problem: I have nothing with her scent, but I do believe you can probably remember it from the previous times."

"I do… is something wrong?"

"Yes she's injured or under attack, from the way it felt she's near by, probably an hour from here or closer." He had some experience with this jitsu, mostly just testing it, but he found the intensity of pain increased the closer the person was to the caster. Chances were she was so close that if he wasn't careful he could overlook her.

"So we're looking for someone hurt. We must then track by blood." Pakkun said as he tilted his head. "You sure she's this close?"

Kakashi nodded. "But you are right best track her by blood, she is Akahoshi after all, there would be blood if there were an attack and if she is injured who knows." Kakashi sighed and looked down the path. "The snow will make this hard so I will accompany all of you; we travel as a group, like we did when I was ANBU, so let's just look for anything unusual."

"Understood." Pakkun grumbled something about the snow under his breath but Kakashi let it go, he was too worried to even bother nit picking. This whole situation was scaring him.

Pakkun stopped in mid stride. Kakashi was there in seconds looking for why the pug froze up. Normally Pakkun would only stop if he found something or if danger were near by. Since he didn't know if either was the case, he just kept his mind open for the worst. However few shinobi would continue a battle in snow this thick.

"My feet are cold." Pakkun glanced up at Kakashi with what looked like concern.

Whiner. I'm freezing my feet off as well. It doesn't matter we need to keep going. I'm not going to let her die. I need to prove to her that I can protect her…or something.

"Mine too." Kakashi looked more closely to the ground. Something was close, something of hers.

"Carry me."

"Dream on." Kakashi then jumped ahead a few feet and dug rapidly in the snow. It was over two feet deep now, and not easy to get through. As he got to the bottom he found a kunai pouch.

"Damn chances are this is from an old battle…its so battered." Kakashi grumbled. This was as bad as looking for a needle in a hey stack and so far the stack was so big he could almost burrow through it himself.

"No harm in looking though, you said her gear was pretty beat up."

"That is true." Kakashi opened it and sure enough inside he found five perfectly sharpened kunai, something Akane excelled at. "Can you get a scent?"

"No…its too wet and the snow just confuses it."

"Hmm." Looking up he noticed the snow on one of the branches was odd. "Up…we need to look from up high."

"And what good will that do?" Pakkun asked as the others began to close in on their position.

Think you know it all.

"Ah well if you can't smell then I need your eyes as well as my own, we're looking for something that looks like a body, she has to be near here." Wincing the pain in his arm began once more. "She's very close."

"Alright to the trees…you do know heights aren't my…" Kakashi grabbed Pakkun mostly out of annoyance and placed him in the tree and glared down at him incredulously. He hated it when people…or dogs whined at him. It's not like he could solve it all.

No more I don't want to hear it.

The process was slow but quickly they had found that the snow hadn't fallen on the trees nearly as well as on the ground and soon he came to a broken branch, half an hour from the village.

"Well I'll be. She fell?" Pakkun nearly laughed. It was clear he still didn't like the young woman much.

"I doubt it but…"

A howl from below answered Pakkun's guess.

"Looks like we found your woman."

"She's not my woman Pakkun, she's my friend." Kakashi snapped. Pakkun just sighed and jumped from branch to branch until he ran out of branches and leapt down.

Jumping down he landed next to one of his hounds and began to dig with them. There was no way he was going to let her die not like this. A true shinobi dies on the battle field and the lucky ones often die of old age. This was too soon for her and he was going to make sure the worst case scenario never happens.

Ugh…my fingers are ice cold.

Stopping for a moment he pulled the scarf from around his neck and wrapped both hands in them and went back to digging.

"I've never seen that one before. Too bad you don't have our paws." Pakkun was concerned for him. "You could let us finish. It would do her no good if you can't help her later."

"No its fine Pakkun. I have to do this." The pug made a shrugging gesture.

"Fine it's your hands. I do know humans often lose limbs from snow easily."

"Pakkun…"

"…"

"Better." Kakashi sighed as silence reigned.

Soon he found her foot. From its position she was laying flat on her stomach. That worried him greatly. People rarely stay flat like this especially after falling.

Digging further they had managed to clear the snow from her back. Kakashi was now trying to extract her shoulders from the offending cover.

"She was conscious after!" Pakkun cheered. "I must admit this human is resilient."

"She has no choice." Kakashi reached over and felt her hand, which was clasped over the pendant he had given her months ago. "Damn she's ice cold."

"But breathing." Pakkun added.

"And for that I am great-full." Kakashi smiled. "I won't need you now so you are all free to go." Then the dogs vanished in a puff of smoke as he finished clearing the snow still covering her head.

"What happened to you?" He asked as he looked her over. She was breathing, but it was labored and her heart was faint. This was what he feared. He couldn't take her to Konohoa's hospital, unless he truly had to and even then that would be dangerous for him to do, since outsiders were forbidden. He still had a chance that she could be treated when he got her to his place.

"Just hang in there." Kakashi murmured softly as he turned her over and found the gash on her head. It had clotted but still needed stitches. From the look of it she had only been there for an hour and a half, the snow had been like a blanket from the cold keeping her warmth in.

She was lucky. Looks like she fell…but even a shinobi wouldn't simply just fall out of tree, something else was wrong.

Placing his pack down he pulled out two heat packs he had found stashed away for just such an occasion. Normally these were used for someone in his village not her, and he wasn't planning on seeing her under such conditions. He set the packs next to her.

Removing her bag he found a sturdy box nestled in with a few extra weapons and her own passport. If caught it would at least give her some time and leeway in the village. At this rate though she was going to have to come up with a way to hide, or disguise herself.

Pulling the blanket out he placed it next to her and slowly rolled her on to it. What worried him was she made no conscious complaint about being moved at all.

"Not good, you might be in a coma, and to think you just got out of one." Picking up the hot packs he cracked one in half to coax the chemicals to mix, and then placed one by her head and other on her stomach. Carefully so as not to do it too tight he wrapped the blanket around her. Once that was done he used his own hetai-ate to hold the pack by her head in place and tucked the other under her armor.

Next to her he found her mask and placed it on her face. He had no idea if anyone would figure this out but chances were he would be let through the gate with her, Kotetsu and Izumo owed him that much. After that he would have to travel over the rooftops, Ibiki or Anko would recognize the mask if he passed them and that he couldn't afford.

Stuffing her bag into his own pack he carefully put it on his back and fastened the extra straps round his waist and adjusted the shoulder straps so the weight wouldn't bother him. Next he picked up Akane bridal style and carried her, it was going to take longer in the snow but this was no ordinary situation.

Yawning once more Kotetsu then slammed the spear to the ground and grumbled. "Damn it they should be here to relieve us."

"I guess they wanted to stay in with their families."

"Its not fair." Kotetsu sighed. "I wish sometimes I had a family."

"I think most do, but it's not the time."

"No kidding with Orochinaru and Akatsuki coming for us…I think we might as well just drop everything and train our asses off."

"Ah but we need money and then we can eat." Izumo laughed. "If only it were that easy."

"No kidding. Even this snow is coming early. It's as if the weather wants to torment us before the others get to." Kotetsu at times was a firm believer in karma but in this case he wasn't sure where he went wrong.

Izumo suddenly glanced into the falling snow. "You won't believe this."

"What now?

Seems there's a lot today that will make me not believe it."

"No really Kotetsu…its Kakashi-sensei."

"What! He left not that long ago."

"No kidding." Izumo then leaned on his spear. "OI KAKASHI-SENEI…" He called then.

Kotetsu waited patiently for an answer but knowing Kakashi he would just walk right up to them and then say something.

It didn't take long for the man's form to be recognized. Kotetsu had known him for a while and Kakashi still had the uncanny ability to appear and vanish just about anywhere.

"Ah…Hello. You two are still posted there?" Kakashi stopped to look at the two of them. "Where are your replacements?"

"That's funny." Kotetsu laughed non chalantly. "They didn't come because of the storm…or what will be a storm."

"Smart." Kakashi smiled. "Well I better get going." He said as he hefted what he was carrying in his arms. "I'm afraid my load is quite heavy."

"What is that?"

"This?" He shifted the thing wrapped in a blanket.

"Yeah" Izumo was curious as was Kotetsu.

"Ah…this is a carpet." Kakashi smiled back. Slowly he started walking by and soon was swallowed up in the snow.

"A carpet?" Izumo and Kotetsu bother repeated.

Both watched the jounin leave in utter confusion.

Izumo then spoke up. "A carpet…no one leaves to get a carpet out in the forest…no one leaves one out there…he's trying to confuse us."

"No kidding…should we?"

"Nah…probably an ANBU operative that never made it back before hand. It happens." Izumo smiled.

Kotetsu rolled his eyes. Kakashi always hid things, even if it was something as mundane as what was in his groceries…not that he ever asked.

Opening his door slowly he lifted her off the floor and walked quickly to his bed. Placing her down he first took off his own gear and grabbed a sweater. He no longer cared for grabbing a new tank top to cover his face. He had more to worry about.

Unwrapping the blankets and pulling her mask off he realized how close to death she had come. Her lips were blue, her eyes were bruised, her skin was paler than the sheets he had placed her on, and the wound looked worse than any he had ever seen in his life.

"This is not how I was planning to spend my days off." He huffed as he unzipped the armor and pulled it off her. He had to get as much as he could off her and quickly. If he didn't she'd still freeze to death.

Next he took her sandals off. He was shocked to find a hole in each foot. It seemed she had run out of money and missions to get new ones.

"I'll have to get you a new pair…and some armor…I' sure they'll let me…better yet they wouldn't even notice." He smiled at her as he ran his hand over her forehead, he was sure she would pull through, the color was returning to her face and quite quickly.

Taking her hip pouch he riffled through it and found another heat pack. He took it and placed it next to her neck. He had to keep her as hot as he could. Next he went to the tank top and pulled it clean off her. It was so wet that water dripped from it. With it still in his hand he placed it on the floor with a heave thunk. He had no time to deal with it now.

Pulling her pants off…he felt that was still disturbing but he had no time to really register what was going on…he found something else that bothered him.

Embedded in her leg was a shard of metal. He had never heard of anyone ever in his life able to break a standard ANBU blade so cleanly that the shard could be left in. This he had to remove.

Quickly emptying her pouch he took the small needle he had found and picked at the wound. Luckily the blade shard was shallow and easy to remove. Chances were she wouldn't even have a scar.

Pulling it out he examined the wound once more.

"Not enough to stitch." He sighed.

Moving closer to her head the looked at the injury that initially caused his worry. The rock had hit her very close to the temple and that was most likely the reason why she had remained unconscious, he was sure she would come back partially if he worked on it.

Getting up he quickly grabbed a cloth and bowl of warm water from his kitchen. All this was not helping his own injury but Akane was far worse off.

Whipping the blood from her brow he watched as the gash pussed. This was not what he was hoping to happen. Grabbing an ointment he had been using for his own minor infection he placed a small amount on the wound and waited for it to be absorbed by her body. This didn't take long and soon he was digging in the drawer in his dresser for a small candle and the pack he had of sanitary needles. He had to get the wound closed and fast.

As soon as he got back he dropped everything on the floor-the wound was gone.

Okay. Where the hell did it go?

Although the wound was better, or in this case no where to be seen; he could still see that her body was too chilled to survive on its own. This he knew was not good. This meant at this moment she needed him to live.

If only I could take you to the hospital, or ask for help…but it's too dangerous.

Shaking his head he left to his living room where he had left a blanket earlier expecting the worst. Luckily she wasn't dead but he wasn't sure just what could be worse for her. He knew himself he would have never wanted to wind up needing people to live. He only wished the rock hadn't screwed up her brain. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if she were to become a vegetable.

"Nothing more to do. I'll have to sponge bathe her tomorrow." He gently brushed a few strands from her face. "Akane-san…be happy this isn't the hospital. I wanted to see you again…but not like this." He then smiled when he noticed the movement of her eyes behind their lids. "I know…the pain will be gone soon. I'm sorry but tonight you will be stuck with me." He sighed as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. He knew normally she probably would have throttled him but he meant it more as a comfort be it for her or himself.

Slipping in next to her he shuddered at how cold her skin was to the touch. He had heard that hypothermia was like this; he had even been in the state himself. However she was not that bad yet, just chilled to the bone.

He felt strange with someone in his bed next to him. Wrapping his arms around her he felt odd being so close he could pick up her scent; this was going to be a long recovery for her and him both.

TBC...

A/N: I can't resist. I'd say I agree with Pakkun now...heavy sigh...Kakashi just doesn't understand his actions or feelings well lately. Anyways please review!