In the next few months, Team Minato got to know Kagome very well. She would often come by when they were leaving for a mission, hauling Obito along by the collar of his shirt. It was thanks to Kagome that Obito seemed to come early.

Those two were always at odds.

Despite the fact Kagome was a year, almost two, younger than them, it was very clear that she was far more mature than Obito.

But then again, she had a nasty temper that made her rants seem like fits of anger.

"Mina–kun~!" Kagome giggled, throwing herself into the blonde jōnin's arms.

"Kago–chan~!" Minato laughed. The little girl with blue eyes so similar to his own giggled in delight when he spun her around.

Minato had taken quite the liking to the little girl, espically since they had so much in common. Sometimes, Minato found himself visiting Kagome and talking about their loud, tempermental, unpredictable loved ones. Kagome even joked about Kushina and Inuyasha originally being one angry, loud person that was split into two. Minato had paled and told her to not say things like that. That theory scared him more than anything.

"Sesshomaru told me about the mission you got!" She exclaimed once he set her on the ground, her head spinning.

"Eh?" Minato blinked in surprise. "How does he—never mind, what did he tell you?" He had learned that the Kazekizu, espically Sesshomaru, had a way of extracting any and all information somehow. "It is a gift," the elder Kazekizu brother had told him.

"He said that the mission that Lord Third gave your team could end the war!" Kagome paused and tilited her head thoughtfully. "Them Inu–chan yelled and swore for like, three hours 'til tou-san bonked him over the head with Tetsusaiga—"

"Sounds like Inuyasha," Minato smiled.

"—but your team is getting a diffrent mission," Kagome finished, her blue eyes hazing over with worry.

Minato's fce turned serious. "Ah. You're worried."

"Yeah," Kagome toed the dirt. "I trust Rin to heal Obito and Kakashi but are they ready for that kind of mission?"

Kagome trusted Rin, she was sweet, kind and caring. She was also a decent medical ninja, good enough to easily take care of any recent injuries.

"Well, that's the point."

"Huh?"

Minato chuckled at Kagome's expression. "You heard about Kakashi's promotion to jōnin, right?" At her nod he continued. "It's to test his leadership skills."

Kagome frowned adorably. "But Obito and Kakashi…"

Minato took in a deep breath, he knew what she was talking about. Even after all these years on the same team, those two still hated each other. The only thing those two had in common were: that they were on the same team; they were both ninjas; they were protective of Rin.

"I know," Minato ruffled Kagome's hair. "But this way, maybe they'll learn to trust each other more."

Kagome snorted. "Like that will happen. Hell will freeze over before that."

"I thought you were the optimistic one."

"No, that's you, I'm the realist."

Minato raised a brow.

Kagome walked home in a sullen mood. Yes, she thought she had a good life. She had two annoying older brothers that she dearly loved, a father and mother that showered her with affection, an optimistic best friend who was kind and akward, but kind nonetheless.

Yes, she did hae a good life. And some people she knew weren't as lucky as her, and yet didn't want the goodness to end.

Did that make her a selfish person?

Kagome couldn't be selfish, she was—!

Kagome shook her head to clear her thoughts. That was in the past, she had to look to the future and forget those memories, like Kakashi.

Still…

THUNK!

Kagome looked up to see just the person plaguing her worrisome thoughts. "Kakashi!" She called out, waving her hand and jogging over.

The only acknoldgement she received was a quick glance in her direction.

"Congratulations," she breathed.

Kakashi turned away from the target to openly stare at the panting girl at his side. He raised a brow.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "For passing your exam—for making jōnin rank!"

He inclined his head in a nod, "thank you."

"No problem," she smiled, before her expression turned serious, her eyes cold.

It was trait she had picked up from Sesshōmaru, Kakashi picked up. In the few months his team had learned of the girl, they had quickly met her imposing adoptive family.

Sesshōmaru was quite intimidating while Inuyasha was something to scoff at, their father was a mixture of the two, both rash at times but decisive, calm and very dangerous…Touga Kazekizu reminded him much of the Leaf's White Fang.

Kakashi's heart clenched at the memory that assaulted his senses. The blood, his father's body, the bitter coldness of the night. He shivered subtly.

"Kakashi," Kagome began softly, although her expression was on the opposite side of the spectrum. "Do you know about your mission tomorrow?"

Kakashi snorted. "You shouldn't be talking about it so lightly, in fact why are you even talking about it all? It's no gossip."

Like Minato, he had come to terms with Kazekizu being well-informed of all and any missions within the Land of Fire.

"Obito," she said simply.

Ah.

"I don't understand why you worry over him. Although he is a horrible excuse for a ninja, he isn't some civilian like—"

He stopped short when a silver blur whizzed by and grazed his ear, silver strands floating down and sitting prominently on his shoulder. He galnced back at the tree behind him, his eyes narrowing at the silver senbon that stuck out like a nail.

He turned to face a seething Kagome. "How dare you? Obito is just as a good ninja as you are—" she assaulted his chest with firm pokes "—stop being all high and mighty, damn it!"

Interesting. He annoyed Kagome enough for her to curse. He watched with mild glare as she visibly pulled herself together and look back at him with a less angry expression.

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "I just hate it when people do that."

No shit.

"But Minato kinda filled me in on the mission." She looked down, probably to hide the silvery tears brimming at her eyes. "I wanted to ask you to take carw of Obito."

He raised a brow and opened his mouth—

"I know you don't like him!" She cut him off, causing him to grumble under his breath. He did not like being cut off. "But, please, just this once. Obito lets his emotions take control—and I know that disgusts you since it breaks the ninja code—I just need someone to look after him. He's a lot like Inuyasha sometimes, but he has a good heart.

"And I know he hates you, but he kinda looks up to you too," she smiled softly and combed back some wild strands of hair. "That's why I'm asking you to look after him, because it takes a lot for Obito to admire someone so discreetly."

"First of all," Kakashi swallowed. "Your asking me to look after a spineless ninja brat that hates me—the feeling is mutual—but admires me…you need to be taken to the mental ward immediatly."

Kagome huffed in irritation before reaching out and slapping him.

Well, almost—actually, not even close.

Kakashi's hand was iron around her wrist. She winced, she was going to have bruises later, his grip loosened, giving her the opputunity to rip it way. She rubbed the bright red flesh, trying to sooth the ache.

"I'm not crazy! I just want you to make sure he survives, damn it!"

"Kagome—"

"Look at it as a top-secret S-rank mission," she challenged with a smirk. "If you can't handle it, then I guess your not as good as a ninja you think you are."

Kakashi shut up immediatley and leveled her with a glare that could rival Sesshomaru's. He was not going to lose to her. "I accept your challenge."

"Hurry up, Obito!" Kagome shouted, sprimting through the forest with Obtio in tow. "You're gonna be late!"

"It's like you want me gone," Obito muttered to himself.

"Hush!" Kagome hissed. "You're already ten minutes late!"

"Ten minutes!" Obito poimted out. "It's not like I didn't want to go—I was helping Granny—"

"Whatever!"

"You have no respect for the elderly!" He snapped.

"They have no respect for children!"

"That's not true—" he began to protest.

"Uchiha." Kakashi hissed maliciously. "Late. Again."

"Oh, please," Kagome waved her hand. "He's early than usual. Besides, he was helping Granny Kaede."

"I thought you said—" Kagome kicked him very indiscreetly.

Minato hid a smile behind his hand. Never a dull moment with that girl. Rin just sighed in long suffering. Kakashi smirked behind his mask.

"Kagome!" Obito hissed.

Kagome ignored him. "Good luck on your mission guys!" Her and Kakashi's eyes met for a brief second.

Game on.

"Bye, Obito." Kagome said sullenly.

Her unique blue eyes were cast downwards, trying to hide the silver gleam of her eyes that indicated she was about to cry.

This was the day that Obito's team were to be deployed on a mission that would change the path of the war, possibly even end it. But what scared her was that she might not even see her best friend again—even with the deal she made with Kakashi.

It wasn't like she didn't care about Obito's other teammates, but Obito was the first friend she had made outside of her adoptive clan and their close friends. She especially adored Obito's awkward but kind, considerate and heart-warming personality that defined him from the rest of her friends.

"Bye Minato. Bye Rin. Bye Kakashi."

I am SO sorry, guys!

I've been practically dead on this story!

Next update won't be so far away next time—triple swear!

This chapter makes up for it though, it's way longer. Probably because the other chapters were like drabbles/snippets/whatever-ya'-call-ems' but this chapter is were most of the plot starts to take place.