AN: Thank you everyone for the questions and comments. I feel like I haven't got very far into the story but the word count is already quite high! eek! Sorry about the slow update here, been very busy between work and the Japanese course. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I hope to get the next one up soon!

Chapter 10

It was with a heavy heart that Kakashi washed and dressed the next day. He could hear the pink haired girl's snoring in the living room. Man, that girl could snore. He had camped with her on missions before, but in the silence of his home it sounded even worse. Kakashi held in a laugh as he remembered back to when Naruto had taken one for the team and told her she was keeping the rest of Team 7 awake. His reward was a black eye and angry wails from the girl.

To this day she was still adamant that Naruto was making it up that she snored. No one else was brave enough - or stupid enough- to tell her. Naruto... Kakashi still couldn't believe that he was gone... It had been such a joy to know the loud goofball and to train him. He had come such a long way only to fall at the hands of his first rival and best friend.

Kakashi's thoughts were wondering to a dark place now. He thought of all those he had lost, most of them due to being shinobi. Many of them still children, forced to fight and put their lives on the line before they had had their fair share of living. In fact, only his mother had died of natural causes... His father had found his shame at failing as a shinobi so unbearable he could himself. Countless friends had been killed by the enemy. Obito, Rin and Minato-sensei had given their lives to protect the village and world. And then Naruto..

At least he still had Sakura. If she hadn't have been here he didn't know how he would have gotten through the past week. At least Sasuke had let the medical kunoichi live. After all Naruto only got in the way of a blow intended for her.

A yawn from Sakura woke him from his thoughts.

"Oh!"

Curious, he entered the open plan living area. Sure enough Sakura was sat on the sofa looking at something, still covered in blankets of deep blue.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked.

"A letter... With seal of the... The sixth Hokage. It has the Uchiha crest on the design."

"What? When did he give you that?"

"He didn't. I just woke up and found it in front of me on the coffee table. It wasn't here last night. But... No, surely he wouldn't'...although there was that time before..."

Oh kami... Had Sasuke really sneaked in again to leave a note for Sakura? That confirmed that he was having them watched at any rate. Sasuke knew she was sleeping over, and that it was indeed purely platonic. Is that how he knew that Kakashi and Sakura weren't together, by sneaking in here? Not only that but by leaving a letter he was taunting them, showing off his skills. He was sure the real message Sasuke intended wasn't written in that letter. This was all about control.

"What does it say?"

Sakura slid the envelope open and pulled out the letter. A frown appeared as she read.

"It's a mission."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I am to inspect all the hospitals in the other four great shinobi villages. It will take a while it seems. I am representing Sasuke's authority."

Kakashi felt his heart sink. No... Not Sakura, his only comfort here. How could Sasuke take her away when Kakashi was starting to depend on her? And the way he did, sneaking into Kakashi's home while they were both asleep, asserting his power over their lives. How would Kakashi cope with the sullen Hokage without her? How would he cope with his nightmares of the dead? How could he face his grief alone again?

He could barely eat the breakfast Sakura prepared for them. He didn't even touch the miso soup. She left for her home to collect her things for the trip while Kakashi was still in a daze. He really didn't want to face Sasuke today, he had an ominous feeling of what the next few weeks had in store for him.

Kakashi walked slowly with his hands in his pockets. He barely watched where he was going as the villagers bustled around him, setting up for the day's work. The smells of breakfast filled the streets and the roads were full of people.

"Oi! 'Kashi!"

Kakashi wasn't listening; his mind was filled with worries over what the day would bring.

"Riiiiiva-"

Wham! Kakashi slammed into a firm green chest. Kakashi rubbed his head and groaned. He was about to step back but strong hands on his shoulder held him in place.

"Rival! Are you OK?"

"Jeez watch where you're going, Hatake." Iruka appeared at Gai's side and watched the two with amusement.

"Yeah I'm OK, Gai. Ergh... Sorry."

"An apology from the great copy nin? To what do we owe this pleasure?"

Oh here comes Iruka's sarcasm... He never missed an opportunity to tease Kakashi. Gai proved once again not to be his best partner in crime though.

"What do you mean?! My eternal rival is most honorable and ALWAYS admits when he is at-"

Iruka sighed. "Alright Maito. Well we had better be going; otherwise we will be as late as him."

"Where are you going?" Kakashi asked, curious despite his bad mood.

"Why the academy of course, dear rival!"

Iruka smiled. "Gai starts his first day teaching taijutsu for self defence to students and civilians."

Shit. That was right. Gai had been recovering at home this whole time while Kakashi had been absorbed in his own problems. He should have remembered; he hadn't seen Gai outside since they took him home from hospital. He tried to push the guilt away, just like he'd spent his life doing.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, you must come and see the sweet youthful miracle of learning take place if-"

"I'm sorry, Gai I can't. I have to go to see Sasu- the Hokage that is."

"Oh, you're working with him aren't you?" Iruka's eyes seemed to fill with pain and sadness. "What is he like? Does he- does he regret-"

Kakashi cut him off. "He has no remorse. I'm sorry."

They were silent for a moment before Iruka spoke again. "Don't be. You were Naruto's teacher as well, you must miss him just as much as I do. You almost died trying to defend him and Sakura. For that I am grateful at least." The chunin paused as his face screwed up with emotion. "It is just that Sasuke was also one of our own students and I had never thought him capable..."

"Me neither. I never thought it would come to this."

"And with all the changes he has made it made me hope that..."

"What changes?"

Gai and Iruka glanced at each other. "Well for one the self defence classes for civilians I am running. He has made them compulsory. He wants them to be able to protect themselves from wayward shinobi."

"And the new age restrictions on genin. You can't become one until you are sixteen now. He insists all children need a childhood not stained in blood or haunted by death. And missions will only comprise of defending the current world now that we aren't fighting amongst villages anymore."

So Sasuke had made some changes for the better. Maybe he did have a heart. No, Kakashi didn't want to face that prospect. Sasuke had killed Tsunade and Naruto for no good reason. No changes he made now in the world of the living could make Kakashi overlook that. He would only see the evil in Sasuke now, he would never submit to him completely.

"Erm Kakashi," Gai interrupted. "Are you Ok? And are-" he gasped audibly. Iruka looked at him alarmed. "Are those bruises?"

Ah. Kakashi had forgotten about those. They were starting to fade and what with the mask, head band and shadow cast from his bushy silver hair, it was hard to see clearly.

"Oh yeah, I spared with Sakura the other say. Finally confronted her about the snoring. It evidentially wasn't one of my best moments. Well, gotta run, got a Hokage to report to. See ya!"

When Kakashi arrived outside Kakashi's office Karin was squirming in her chair behind her desk trying to look small. Sasuke was stood on the other side leaning on it with both hands giving her one of his angriest glares.

"What do you mean he said no?"

"S- Sasuke-kun I-"

"It's 'Hokage-sama'!"

The red haired women blinked stupidly, trying not to- wait was she really going to cry? Kakashi didn't like this woman who acted like a silly academy girl around Sasuke, but he suddenly felt compelled to bitch slap the little Uchiha shit on her behalf. But the moment soon passed when she noticed Kakashi and turned to glare at him instead.

"You! You're late!"

Kakashi quirked an eyebrow and tilted his head in slight amusement. But rather than having the desired effect she wanted, of Sasuke turning his rage on Kakashi, it did the opposite. "Karin! I give him orders, not you! He is mine to command. Now take the day off and get the hell out of my sight."

If Kakashi hadn't been so tense from Sasuke's words, he would have laughed that for Karin having a day off and away from her boss was a punishment. As Kakashi walked into the Hokage's office he didn't spare a glance at the crumpling girl for fear of cringing.

He stood patiently in Sasuke's office hoping the man had pressing matters to attend to and would give him a job and leave him alone. The silver haired ninja heard the door close behind him and turned to face the young Hokage. He was smiling like a child about to unwrap a large present.

"Well?"

Kakashi was about to retort, 'well what?' when he remembered their conversation yesterday. Kakashi bowed stiffly as Sasuke smirked.

"How can I serve you, Hokage-sama," he said icily, hoping to make his real thoughts of the Hoakge as cleat cut as he could. Sasuke paid this no mind though. In fact he seemed to enjoy Kakashi's cold attitude.

"Take off your clothes."

Kakashi took a step back in shock. His skin paled even more than its usual white and his mouth opened, the word 'what' unspoken, as if this were not really happening, that he had somehow misheard the young man. Kakashi knew better though.

"You heard me. Clothes off. Now."