Kakashi smiled in relief, not that anyone could see it, as he was still in his wolf form, when Keiko said that they might be able to put this whole thing behind them. He really had grown to care for her and her family, and for weeks afterward, he was cold and detached. Even Minato noticed, and he didn't notice those kinds of things easily.

And he never really was the same afterwards, because in some corner of his mind he was always thinking about the family he had torn apart, the family that he could have been a part of if he had just told them who he was.

Keiko shifted back into a human, Kakashi following soon after. Moments after he had though, he gasped in pain. He fell to his hands and knees, one arm wrapped around his ribs in an effort to stop the pain. God, it hurt so bad!

He coughed, and a trickle of blood slipped down his chin. Keiko hurried forward, worry in her golden eyes, but she also didn't completely trust him.

"What? What's wrong?" she asked. Her men had stopped fighting, and the one who had bitten Michio was lying unconscious on the ground. Daichi was panting, seemingly unharmed, and he was busy untying his students.

"My ribs," he gasped. "I think they might be broken."

Keiko frowned, trying to remember when she might have hit him hard enough to break his ribs. She couldn't think of any times, but of course, she sometimes couldn't control her anger. Maybe she broke the clone's ribs, and that in turn had broken the real Kakashi's? She wasn't sure if that could happen.

"Okay," she said, slipping into the role of a medical ninja. Ryuu had been training her in the basics, before he had died, and she knew enough about broken ribs to know what she had to do. Although it was slightly different with the Yazuma's. "Shift back to your wolf form."

Kakashi coughed again, but complied with a shudder. When he was the wolf, he healed faster, he knew that. He didn't know if that worked without doing something about his ribs though.

Keiko stroked his fur lightly as he whined, covering his muzzle with his paws. He was panting, the pain almost worse than it was as a human. But it would help him in the long run, and he had to bear the pain until they could do something about it. It didn't help that they had no first-aid kit.

"Kakashi, you can walk, right?"Keiko asked. The wolf raised his head enough for her to understand that he could walk, and she smiled. There was hope for him after all, as long as they could get to Konoha fast enough.

"Yori!" she called and one of her men came running up to her. "Go ahead to Konoha. Tell the hospital that Kakashi has a broken rib, possibly more."

Yori nodded and hurried away. Kakashi whined, tilting his head towards his comrades. She nodded in understanding.

"Hey! You guys, get over here," she called to Daichi and his students. They looked over, and Daichi tensed when he saw the situation. "We have to get him back to Konoha."

Daichi nodded and said something to his students, and they smiled and leapt up into the trees, following Yori.

Keiko signaled to the rest of her men to pick up their unconscious comrade and go home, and they followed her order without question. Soon it was just them three in the field.

"I'm going to shift to help support him," Keiko said as Daichi approached her, eyes wary. He didn't know what had happened, but the last time he checked, Keiko had been the bad guy—or in her case, girl. He nodded, though, leading the way as Keiko changed.

Are you okay? Keiko thought to Kakashi.

Yeah, he said. Although, I could do without the pain.

Keiko laughed, a quiet purring sound. Sorry.

It's okay. I'm just glad you're not trying to kill me anymore.

They limped along in silence, Keiko's shoulder wedged up against Kakashi's side so he wouldn't fall over.

You know, he suddenly said. It's probably a good thing that I changed. This way it won't be as bad when we finally get there, because I won't suddenly shift while they're working on me.

That is a good point, Keiko chuckled. She became somber again. Thank you, for telling me the truth. It was probably better it was you who did it, because if you're right and the Hokage had sent someone else, we might not have had anything to bury.

I really am sorry. Kakashi nuzzled Keiko's side reassuringly.

It's okay, Keiko murmured, adjusting her weight as Kakashi stumbled. I forgive you.

/\/\

The Konoha Hospital was bright white, everywhere Kakashi looked. The doctor's had bandaged his ribs, but he had yet to feel like changing, especially because when he was a wolf he would be stuck in the hospital for a far shorter time.

Besides, the doctor's would probably have to do the whole thing over again, and he didn't want to do that.

Kakashi sighed, raising his head to stare out the window. Keiko had gone to talk to the Hokage, determined to find out why he had deemed it necessary to eliminate the last of the feline branch. She had yet to come back.

He didn't know when he would see the kids, or Iruka, but he did know that he was getting bored.

He heard someone shouting in the hall, and then the door burst open. Iruka walked in, dragging a frantic Itachi behind him. He didn't seem surprised to see a wolf instead of Kakashi.

"Oh, thank, God, you're alright," the brunette moaned. Sasuke, cradled in Iruka's arms, clapped happily when he saw the wolf. Itachi was pouting, about what, Kakashi didn't know. Kakashi whined reassuringly, too lazy to send his thoughts to the younger man.

"I am so glad you're home. Your sons do not follow my orders when you aren't here," Iruka groaned, dropping into the chair next to the bed. Kakashi gave a lopsided wolf smile, and finally summoned the strength to talk to Iruka.

Why is it they're mine when they don't listen to you?

"Because they just are," Iruka answered. He sighed and closed his eyes, his tense muscles finally relaxing. Now that Kakashi was home, he could try to separate himself from their family. Now that Kakashi was home, Iruka could try to forget his feelings for the older man.

A/N: Okay, this wasn't what I intended at all. My original plan was to have Kakashi kill Keiko, but then I started to like her, and I couldn't bring myself to do it. So this happened. Oh well. Isn't it funny how things never turn out the way you plan?

Anyways, remember to review!