A.N. I'm ill while I'm writing this, I've got a rotten cold.

A father is a sons first hero and a daughters first love. - Anon

...

Omake – Chapter 3.5

Kakashi went to the library, he couldn't believe everything Sayuri said at face value. The idea of reincarnation seemed a bit much, but she had known so much about this 'Azalea', about her life, her family, about the world she grew up in. There had to be more information about it somewhere, and the Village library was the best place to start. The lady behind the desk gave Kakashi a sceptical glance when he asked for books as scrolls on the matter.

With reading material in hand Kakashi wet to researching, a couple of the books were useless, just saying that reincarnation might be possible but highly unlikely, and there would be no way of knowing. One scroll held a theory that since chakra didn't really every go away, it was possible that a person may have the same chakra as someone else, but didn't say anything about their memories, just that some key traits might be handed down, but even then, it said reincarnation takes at least 500 years, but the world the Sayuri talked about was nothing like what he had known, and there was no mention of it in any history document he could find.

He spent all day in the library before he was greeted by a guest. The tall man sat opposite Kakashi, he looked at the books and scrolls that the boy had surrounded himself with and smirked.

"Looking to come back from death Little Scarecrow?" The man picked up one of the books and began flicking through it.

"Don't call me that Jiraiya, and no, it's something my friend said to me. It got me interested." Kakashi carried on with his books, ignoring the overdramatic aghast faced the Sannin pulled.

"So rude, Kakashi-kun. So, what did your friend say that's got you interested in all this? Sakumo never said anything. And which friend? It's not that strange one is it, the loud one?"

"No, he's not my friend, it was Sayuri-chan. She's in hospital right now."

"Oh?" The Sannin had not met the young girl, but Sakumo had nothing but nice things to say about her. "What happened?"

"She said she died."

"What? That sounds serious," Jiraiya looked more closely at the books that Kakashi was studying "are you trying figure out how the iryou-nin helped her? You need medical books for that."

"No, she said she died before. Before she was Sayuri. I want to know if what she said was the truth or if she needs some help."

"Hmmm. Well these won't help," Jiraiya got up from the table and gestured for Kakashi to follow him "the Village doesn't really have a lot of information on that sort of thing, nearly no one does."

"But you do?"

"The toads do." He walked on a bit, out of the library and started heading towards one of the training grounds. "They are probably the best source for any information about rebirth, reincarnation and prophecies. Your Otou-san would agree with me on that." They walked further, nearing an empty training ground. "What did your little friend tell you anyway?"

"She told me a lot about her family, she used to have a big one, she said she wants me to be her brother. She told me how she died."

"What happened?" So Kakashi repeated everything Sayuri told him in the hospital, about her life, her family and her death. He felt a bit bad, for telling her secrets to someone she didn't know, but Kakashi knew that if anyone could confirm her story it would be the Sannin. They reached the training ground, Jiraiya went to one side and bite his thumb. "Summoning-no-jutsu!" With a puff of smoke a toad appeared.

"Yes Jiraiya-chan?" The old toad looked Jiraiya then at Kakashi "Who's the tadpole?"

"Pa, this is Kakashi-kun and he has a story you need to hear." Jiraiya looked at Kakashi and encouraged him to tell Sayuri's story again, he did so, looking curiously at the toad named Pa.

"Hmmm. An interesting story tadpole, but why am I here?"

"Is it possible Pa? Could this girl have been reborn?"

"Of course it's possible Brat. It's just a matter of how long her soul has been waiting. Did she say where she was from?"

"No. But it didn't sound like anywhere I recognised. But she made it sound like it was before the Warring States Era."

"Is it possible to meet the girl? Ask her some questions?" The toad looked towards Kakashi, a glint of interest in his eye.

"Not right now. She's in the hospital, she came to realisation about her life and cried her throat raw, and after she told me about her life her throat got worse. The doctors said that she shouldn't talk at all until they're happy that she won't cause any more damage." Kakashi frowned at the thought about the warning doctors gave, and the glare he got from basically every adult in that hospital room.

...

Jiraiya came by the hospital late at night, it was scarily easy to sneak in, he'd have to tell someone to up the security. He came upon the room he was looking for, the girl inside was still on her own. She was a small thing, but at three she wouldn't be expected to be too big. Jiraiya smiled softly looking at her, it's clear to see why Sakumo took a liking to the child, she was adorable. She was sleeping on her side, her little fists next to her face. Her body curled up in a little ball, deep even breaths coming from her mouth. She seemed just like any other innocent three-year-old.

He couldn't believe what Kakashi had told him. The girl didn't really look all that special, and beside some advance intelligence, which could be brushed off as being an Uchiha, there was nothing that would indicate that the girl had had a previous life.

Pa had said that it was possible, and if this was the first time that she's realised what it meant for her then there was likely to more to happen to her in the future.

At least the girl seemed kind, and had a genuine interest in making bonds with people of Konoha, particularly Kakashi and Sakumo. He'd keep an eye for her, and try to get more information about her past life.

…

Sakumo returned from a mission only a couple of days after Sayuri was entered into the hospital. He stopped by the Akiyama home to check in with Jirou, he had to be going half mad with his daughter in the hospital. Hanae was on a mission, so Jirou had to deal with it on his own. Sakumo felt a twinge of sympathy, he remembered the first time Kakashi got sick after Emi, his wife, died, he was a nervous wreck. The fact that there was no discernible reason for why Sayuri cried herself into such a state must have made it so much worse.

"Hey Jirou." The man just nodded in return, before letting out a deep sigh. "How bad was it?"

"Her throat is bad, but it's an easy fix. She should be out in a few days. Kakashi-kun sat with her for a while, I'm glad that they get along, it eases my mind to know she's not alone when I can't be there. He should be with her now in fact."

"I'll head by the hospital in a bit then. How are you?"

"She scared me. She was fine and then she was crying, it was such a heart-breaking sound Sakumo, like a parent who's lost a child, or someone whose entire world had been ripped from them. And I couldn't get her to stop, she just, kept, crying. When she finally collapsed, I can't describe it Sakumo, my heart sunk, I couldn't breathe, for a brief moment I thought she was gone, that whatever happened was going to take her from me. I had never felt so relieved when the doctors said that she would be alright.

"I've had to organise meetings with the psychology specialists, to try and make sure that the issue is addressed. I've also sent a message to Hanae letting her know, and Jiraiya-sama came by and said that he'd tell Ichi-nii. I hate to think what Hanae will say."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Hanae will understand that there was nothing you could do. I'll be heading to the hospital, want me to pass along a message for Sayuri-chan?"

"No, I'll be visiting later anyway." Sakumo nodded and headed off.

…

At the hospital Sakumo saw Kakashi reading to Sayuri, admittedly the book was a very Kakashi choice, a released history of the warring states era. Sayuri seemed to be enjoying it none the less.

"Enjoying your book Kashi-kun?" Joked Sakumo. Kakashi looked annoyed at being interrupted. "What's the book about then Little Scarecrow?"

"About the initial clashes between the Uchiha and Senju clans, I thought Sayu-chan would be interested in the history of her Okaa-sans clan. And don't call me 'Scarecrow', Jiraiya called me that when he saw me."

"Well there are no crows here, so you're doing your job."

"Why honourable Okaa-san let you name me I'll never understand." His response was completely deadpan, but there was clearly annoyance on his face. Sayuri smiled at the interaction, but Kakashi seemed to know what her train of thought was. "Now Sayu-chan will call me 'Scarecrow' as well."

"So it's Sayu-chan now? When did that happen?"

"Sayu-chan has decided that she needs an aniki, so now she's my imouto."

"Shouldn't I get to decide if I have another child?" Kakashi looked at Sayuri, she cocked her head at him, looking like a confused puppy. She shrugged.

"You're her Oji-san, so she's your niece, not your child." Sakumo smiled at the two children, pleased with their interactions. "Is there a reason you're here Otou-san?"

"Aren't you happy I'm here? Did you want more time with Sayu-chan? I could leave." Sakumo teased, enjoying the glare that his son gave him.

"Otou-san, I'm glad you're here, but why?"

"Sayu-chan is my friend too. Aren't you Sayu-chan?" Sayuri nodded, a big smile on her face. "So why wouldn't I visit my friend then Kashi-kun?"

"Fine." Kakashi returned to his reading. Sakumo sat next to Sayuri, giving her a soft smile as he patted her hand.

The three spent the rest of the afternoon in that manner, until they were joined by Jirou. Sayuri shone a bright smile to her father, and moved closer to Sakumo to make space for him on the bed. Jirou joined his daughter and his friend, putting his arm around Sayuri, holding her close. Kakashi looked at the three of them, before a look from Sakumo encouraged him to join them.

The four of them sat on the bed, the fathers struck up a conversation that Sayuri couldn't join and Kakashi didn't care to. Sayuri began to play with Kakashi's hair, just letting the silver locks flow through her fingers. Jirou did the same to her. After a couple of hours Sayuri feel asleep, hugging Kakashi to herself, leaning on Jirou.

"I think it's time to call it a night." Sakumo murmured, keeping his voice low.

"Hmm. Thank you for coming Sakumo." Jirou started to untangle himself from his daughter.

"You're basically family Jirou. You, Sayuri-chan, Ichirou and Hanae are all the Kakashi-kun and I have. I'm glad that Kakashi has Sayuri-chan, that he has the chance to see her as a sister, that she's making that bond with him." Sakumo smiled at Sayuri and Kakashi, she seemed reluctant to let him go and whined a little when Sakumo began to move Kakashi out of her grip.

With his child in his arms Sakumo walked with Jirou out of the room. They moved quietly, shutting the door gently and not saying a word as they left the hospital.

Out in the night air the two fathers walked at a sedentary pace. Sakumo enjoyed holding Kakashi, just savouring just spending time with his son. It was a cold night, but the sky was clear and Sakumo could see the stars. Jirou was looking at the moon, he felt better for spending time with Sayuri, for seeing that she was alright, it still scared him to see her cry as she did, but Sayuri was strong, she would get better.

At a seemingly random crossroad, the two fathers nodded each other, and went their separate ways. Going to their homes, happier for how they spent their day.