10

Snow Riverside.

"So, this is where you grew up," said Kakashi as he and Nane walked the Manor grounds. The sun shown only as the clouds allowed. Nane sadly nodded as she drank in the sight of her old home, burning it into her memory. In a few more days they would make the trek back to Konoha. She and Genma had recovered sufficiently from their injuries to travel safely. This day Nane felt well enough to give Kakashi a tour of her old home.

They walked closely, side by side, but never actually touching. Nane wore a dark brown fur vest and a cream colored scarf. The shirt she wore underneath was a mix of wool and silk boasting many different colors. The sleeves were a riotous multicolored stripped creation. Leather gloves peeked from just below the overlong sleeves. Her hair was unbound reaching well past mid back and slightly curling. Kakashi thought she never looked lovelier. Nane really did belong in Snow Country.

Kakashi, on the other hand, had so many layers on that he looked like one of the white bears whose fur he wore. Nane smiled into her scarf at that image in her mind. The two stopped when they reached the fast moving river and an ancient stand of conifer trees. Nane sighed and touched the trunk of a particularly huge tree lovingly.

"Hello, old friend," she said quietly. Then to Kakashi, "This tree and I have spent a great deal of time together." With a giggle she leapt up grabbing a lower branch and began to toss herself gracefully from one branch to another until she was almost to the top. Then she found a branch and made herself comfortable. From where she was, Nane could see to the snow covered mountains.

"I am not sure that Genma will want to come back here anytime soon," commented Kakashi from a branch below. Nane was amazed at how quietly he had made his way to her, bulky coat and all.

Kakashi had actually been avoiding Genma. Not wanting to interfere with anything between him and Nane. He had heard the rumors that the Senbon user was up to his old ways of flirting with anything in a skirt, but did not want to hope that Genma had moved on from her.

So, when Kakashi wasn't with Nane as a protector, he was with the other Konoha nin who were freezing their balls off. The Yuu's were gracious and kept their rooms as warm as possible, but the Leaf nin were not mentally equipped for the harsher winter in Snow country and this was only the beginning of the cold season. The cold to them was mind blowing. They would all be glad to be leaving soon. Kakashi wasn't so sure.

"What?" Nane had been distracted by her own thoughts and had only been half listening to Kakashi's words. She looked at the silver haired man and then thought about what he said. Looking back at the mountains she replied, "I don't suppose he will. He wasn't too fond of the idea to begin with. I think he was just humoring me. That and we had a mission to complete."

"I would stay, if you wanted me to," his voice was quiet as he looked at the river. Nane almost didn't hear him. She reached down smiling and ruffled his hair. It was their first real contact since the night she woke up and then fell asleep together. When she woke the following morning he was gone, but the smell of him lingered.

"When was the last time you had a haircut, Hatake?"

He looked up at her and Nane's heart almost stopped. Kakashi had looked so terribly sad. She blinked and he was gone. He was down the tree and walking along the river away from her and the estate in an instant.

"Kakashi?!" She called as she followed, cursing under her breath for moving more slowly than he, but as quickly as she dared. Near the bottom she slipped on a slick branch and ungracefully fell to the base of the tree with a thump and a plume of snow that covered her up when it fell back to earth.

"Ahh!" Her surprised vocalization was cut short when she hit the ground. Thankfully, it had been snowing and a decent layer of snow had broken her fall. Still, she had the wind knocked from her lungs. So, she lay there for a bit, sprawled in the snow. The world was muffled and looking up she could see more snow starting to fall. Big flakes fell on her face and eye lashes. Normally, she would think that this was perfection. However, as much as she loved the snow, her mind was totally focused on Kakashi. She had to get up and follow him before he was gone.

"Crap! Nane, are you alright?" He was suddenly there, silver hair and head shielding her from the falling snow. His concern for her was so very real that it radiated from him in waves. Kakashi looked her over for injuries, dusting off the snow layer as he checked.

"I am so sorry, Kakashi," she said. His eye met hers with some confusion.

"Sorry for falling out of a tree?"

Nane sat up shaking her head. Clumps of snow fell out of her hair.

"No, that was just plain stupidity." Taking his face in her hands Nane looked him in the eyes. "I am sorry for being angry at you and for lying to you."

Kakashi became very still. Trapped between her hands and not ever wanting to leave.

"What did you lie about, Nane?" His hopes were climbing warily.

"This." She closed her eyes, pulled his mask down and pressed her warm lips to his slightly chilly ones. This was so different from the kiss through his mask by the river in Konoha. Nane could live alone forever with the memory of this kiss. She hoped she would not have to.

"I love you, Kakashi," she whispered into his lips when they broke apart. Nane's hands fell to her lap, releasing him and she cast her head down. She had not opened her eyes once, giving Kakashi every opportunity to pull his mask back up and leave. Keeping his face and secrets concealed.

Her heart pounded painfully in her chest and blood roared in her ears as she sat waiting for his reply or the hateful sounds of his retreat in the snow.

"Tinane, open you eyes," said Kakashi. His voice was still close to her. Nane shook her head, dislodging more of the acquired snow from her hair. Tears started to flow from the corners of her closed eyes as she screwed them tighter.

"Only if you're absolutely sure, Kakashi."

Kakashi chuckled as he took her face in his hands while gently turning her face back up to his.

"If I weren't, gods, I am now. Open your eyes, love." Nane heart skipped several beats at his words. Pale lids opened revealing her blue-green eyes. At first, all that she saw were Kakashi's mismatched eyes, one brown and one blood red, both filled with love for her alone. Then, her eyes drifted down the features of his now mask less face. Nane smiled hugely and gave a laugh of relief and amazement.

"Damn, you are a Ninja God!"

"I never told you I wasn't," he said as he pulled her into another kiss. This time his lips were warm too.

Proposition.

When the rescue teams returned to Konoha, Tusnade had the leaders, Kakashi and Hiro, as well as the rescuees, Tinane and Genma, in her office to report. After the debriefing, the Hokage decided that Nane's usefulness to Orochimaru was probably at an end. Nane had to agree, plus she knew that the snake Sannin would need to change bodies within the next year or so. Kabuto would only be able to hold the present one together for so long. She would definitely need to submit another report to Tsunade in regards to what she did to the Hokage's ex-teammate's creation, but that could keep for later.

Outside the Hokage tower, Genma removed the senbon from his mouth and gave a jaunty salute to the others.

"Well guys, it has been fun, but I am off to the bar. Hopefully, some of Konoha's finest women will be out tonight to celebrate my return." In a flutter of leaves Genma was gone. Kakashi looked at Nane and waved a hand in the departed's direction.

"You actually considered him over me?"

Nane smiled then moved her hands as if weighing something.

"One ninja god over another….."

Kakashi grabbed her hands and pulled her to him.

"Blasphemer."

Nane laughed, "And anger the gods, never." A throat clearing reminded them of Hiro's presence behind them. The two broke apart, but still held hands.

"Nane, will we see you at dinner tonight? Of course, you are always welcome, Kakashi."

Nane reached over and pulled on her fathers flack jacket till his cheek was in range. Giving him a peck of a kiss she let go, patting him on the chest.

"I think we are going out tonight as well, Dad." Echoing Genma's thought on celebrating their return.

Hiro smiled, and then clapped Kakashi on the shoulder.

"Have her home by midnight, Hatake."

Nane rolled her eyes. The level of testosterone was high and getting higher. Beside her, Kakashi saluted the older man.

"Yes, sir, Yuu-sama."

With a nod Hiro turned and started towards his home. After a few steps they could hear him whistling a tune.

Kakashi leaned over to Nane returning her attention back to him.

"So, where do you want to eat?"

"I want you to cook for me, but I will buy the ingredients." Kakashi's visible eye glittered.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," he said as he offered his bent elbow to Nane. She wrapped a hand through the crook and the two started off to the market.

Once, back in his apartment, Kakashi removed his shoes, his vest and lastly his hiate and mask, hanging each on the pegs near the door. Since the sharingan was always active, he pulled an eye patch from its place on a peg and put it on. Nane thought he looked like a pirate from one of her nephews picture books.

She picked up one of the bags and started into the apartment common. She remembered sadly the night she fought with her family, found the unedited file on herself here in his bedroom and the awful fight that came after. Kakashi came up behind her and gave her a little nudge. Looking at him over her shoulder she saw he was smiling.

"It is past, love. No worries now." He kissed her softly and went to the kitchen. Nodding to herself, she followed and set the bag on the counter. Kakashi had done the same and was unpacking the ingredients. He pointed to a chair on the other side of the bar where she could watch and talk to him, but be out of the way as he cooked.

"My mother does the same thing to me, or hands me cooking chores that I can't mess up." Nane took her place at the bar.

"You are lucky that you live in a big enough family that you don't have to cook." Kakashi had started cleaning vegetables. "At least you wouldn't starve, or go broke eating out all of the time."

"Oh, but then you are free for other things, like scrubbing floors or doing the dishes afterwards." She put a hand dramatically to her forehead, "The dishes after that family eats are enough to be considered torture."

Kakashi laughed as he continued to scrub carrots.

"I will tell Ibiki to add that to his list of torture techniques….Yuu household dishwasher." Nane laughed at the thought of Ibiki in her house forcing prisoners to wash stacks of dishes, white kerchief around his head and apron around his waist.

Her attention was drawn back to Kakashi as he continued the prep for their dinner. Frequently, he would stop and swipe at errant chunks of hair that would fall before his uncovered eye. Suddenly, he seemed to have reached his limit. With a sigh of frustration, Kakashi turned to Nane.

"Fix this or I am going to take a kunai to it myself. " He said motioning at the over long spiky mess of his hair.

Nane smiled, "Where are your scissors, Kashi?" Kakashi blinked at his shortened name and pointed to the bathroom. "Got it. Come with me first." He followed her into the bathroom. She quickly found the scissors and a comb.

"Wow, you actually have one." She said brandishing the comb in his direction.

"Yeah, Yeah."

"Come over to the tub. I need to get your hair wet," Kakashi kneeled on the floor before the tub as Nane pulled down the sprayer. Turning on the water, she adjusted it till it was nicely warm. Turning back to Kakashi, she started to run her fingers through his hair from the base of his skull to the top of his head following the path of the sprayer. Nane felt him shiver under her hand. She smiled and continued the process of getting his hair wet. The locks darkened slightly to a steel grey. Completing the task, she grabbed a towel off of the rack and began to dry some of the excess water. Satisfied, she stood absently drying her hands on the towel.

"Ok, back to the chair." Kakashi stood and followed her. Nane pointed to the bar and he sat in the chair that she had watched him cook from. Nane placed the damp towel neatly around his shoulders and started to comb his hair. Soon every strand was wet and flat. Mask gone, hair styled differently, Kakashi looked like another person entirely. Nane could not help but smile again. He opened his eye and looked at the red head.

"Yes?"

"We could change your image? Perhaps you could even go out in public without the mask." She tempted. Kakashi thought about it for all of two seconds.

"No."

Nane shrugged, "Just offering," she said as she started snipping his hair. Kakashi closed his eye again and just reveled in the fact that someone was playing in his hair. It felt good and the fact that it was Nane made it all the better.

Nane was adept at hair cutting and completed the task in a relatively short time. She stood in front of the Copy Nin and was running her hands through his hair again, knocking out the left over bits of hair, when he caught up her hands in his.

"Kakashi?"

He looked up at her and she could tell that he was thinking hard about something.

"Move in with me?"

Nane stopped breathing; crap did he just say that?

"What?"

"Move in with me?" He repeated as he pulled on her wrists, bringing her to sit on his lap, straddling his legs. Nane blushed crimson.

"Please?" He asked again.

"Can we get an air conditioner?" She asked quietly.

"I don't care if we turn this place into a refrigerator, just so long as you are here with me."

Nane nodded, happily accepting the offer. Kakashi pulled her into a kiss then hugged her. Nane shrieked as his wet hair and damp clothes started to get her wet as well. As she pulled her head away exposing her neck and the back of her ear. Kakashi took the opportunity to nuzzle into that space with his lips, humming. This sent shivers through her and caused every hair on her body to rise. She squealed and tried to squirm her way out of his embrace, but Kakashi had a tight hold on her.

"Oh, you play dirty, Hatake!"

"Always, love."

END THE FIRST

Please go to Part the Second for the sequel to Weaving Silk.