Author's notes: Sorry about the rushed feel of the last chapter… It was written over many, MANY weeks. This one will be better! This is actually one of my favorite scenes!

Chapter Twenty-one: Already Over

The village was nearly in sight. Kakashi had hardly let his group rest in the two-day mad dash to Konoha. Naruto was on Kakashi's back, holding on for dear life. Kiba was carrying Shino and Akamaru had Kabuto riding on his back. The entire group was exhausted, but Kakashi didn't care. His father could be lying dead on the ground by that point. He couldn't let that happen. He had to be there. He had to save him! He couldn't let his father die for him. Kakashi would never forgive himself if Sakumo died.

Time seemed to stretch beyond all reason. Seconds seemed like hours. By the time they made it to the gates, Naruto was fast asleep on Kakashi's back, whimpering in pain while he slept. Everyone else looked completely exhausted, but Kakashi wasn't concerned with any of them. He was even hardly concerned with Naruto at the moment.

Kakashi wasted no time running to the mansion where Sakumo was waiting for their return. The younger Hatake sent up a prayer, hoping that he would still be there to greet them. Kakashi swung the front door and was instantly hit with the stench of blood. Kakashi's own blood ran cold. He closed his eyes and tried to figure out whose blood it was. He shook his head. The scent was coming from the office, a floor up, too far away for him to accurately tell whose blood he smelled. Great heavens, no…

"Praying won't help anyone now, kit…" the Fox hissed. Kakashi shook his head. He didn't want to deal with the short-tempered beast. "Whatever happens…you will survive…" Kakashi blinked. The Kyuubi sounded sympathetic… Even gentle. Kakashi shook his head, pushing the thought out of his mind. The Fox wasn't capable of that.

The man ran towards the stairs. Naruto was awake by now, his unfocused eyes looking around. Kakashi ignored him. He had to get to the office.

When he swung the door open, the stench of blood and death overpowered him. Kakashi tried to force the sickly-sweet scent of decay out of his mind, but it was strong, so strong it penetrated two layers of masks. Kakashi pushed down the bile that rose in his throat. No, no, no, no, no… he chanted silently. He heard the Fox mutter something quietly, but Kakashi didn't hear what he said. He closed his eyes, unable to face what was coming. He hardly noticed when Naruto slid from his back and sat down on the ground.

The sound of a sob snapped him out of his trance. "Dad…" he whispered, praying. His feet moved despite his wishes. He gulped as he turned the corner and looked behind the desk, only to be faced with a pool of blood. Kakashi let out a cry. "Dad!" Relief was in his voice as he wrapped his arms around his father.

Sakumo was shaking hard and panting, but Kakashi didn't care. The man was alive. He was in shock, but he was alive. "It should have been me…" the elder kept repeating the phrase as if he could change what had happened. "It should… have been me…" Kakashi put his hand on his father's back and rubbed slowly, bile rising in his throat again. "I was… going to put your stuff in here… But he… had some paper work to give you… He told m-me… to give him the cloak and hat… I don't… even know how they mistook him for you… I guess it was because… of the hat. He didn't have hands to carry it… so he put it on his head. I…I should have been the one bringing the stuff… It should have been me…"

"I'm glad it wasn't…" Kakashi whispered, hugging Sakumo tightly as the man shook. He felt pressure behind his eyes and closed then, allowing a single tear to slide down his cheek and get lost in the fabric of his masks. The decaying, cold body was, thankfully, not his father's, but Hiruzen's.

カワリメ

Kakashi looked at the sky as it grew grey into the dawn. Sakumo was sitting on the couch, crying softly. Naruto was asleep in Hinata's lap on the floor. The body was gone, but the stench hung in the air. Kakashi closed his eyes against the harsh light. They had to tell someone. They had to tell Iruka… He'll be crushed…

"You can't protect him from the truth…" Kyuubi said simply.

Yeah… But that doesn't make this any easier… Kakashi commented back. He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Kakashi…" Sakumo whispered, his voice hoarse with exhaustion and grief. The jinchuuriki jumped and turned to his father. Sakumo's face was wet, his eyes were bloodshot and he looked years older now. He had aged gracefully until now. Now he looked like the frail old man he really was. He seemed to have aged many years since that last time Kakashi saw him. "You should rest…"

"Rest?" Kakashi repeated. "I don't have time to rest! I have a village to run!"

"You will be no use to them in your state. Come here…" He patted the couch beside him, trying to brighten up a little. Kakashi shook his head. "Kakashi, please. You need your rest…"

"No, Dad! I don't have time for that!" He looked down at Naruto, then towards the blood stain on the floor. How many more people would get hurt because of him? "I have to figure this out. Without Hiruzen…"

"Not every Hokage had someone to mentor them," Sakumo reminded his son. "In fact, in this world, none of them did…"

"I need to think…"

"You need to rest!" Sakumo retorted. "Come sit down."

Kakashi shook his head vigorously. "No, Dad. I'm busy. I'll rest later!" Sakumo shook his head. "No, Dad! I need to get through this!" Sakumo stood up and walked over to Kakashi. The man blinked as his father put his arm on his son's shoulder and began leading him to the couch. Kakashi let himself be led for a moment, putting his head on his father's shoulder.

He sat beside his father and allowed Sakumo and pull him close. For a moment he got lost in the gentle feeling of his father running his fingers through his hair. He felt Sakumo's breathing on his back, slow and calm. He blinked his eyes slowly and felt himself relax in his father's arms. He could almost believe that everything would turn out okay. He could almost believe that they would be okay and that everything would work out…

But that was a lie. "No!" Kakashi snapped, shaking off the exhaustion with a sharp shake of his head. "Leave me alone, Dad!" He jumped off the couch and stood. Fatigue, fear, and guilt was clouding his mind and making him irrational.

Sakumo stood more slowly, keeping his hands out to show that he meant no harm. Kakashi took a step back. "Kakashi… Son, I just want what's best for you."

"Just go away, Dad!" Sakumo took a step back, looking rather dejected.

"But, Kakashi… I was…just trying to help…"

Kakashi spun around, slamming the back of his hand into his father's face. Sakumo staggered back, a trickle of blood coming from his cut lip. "You want to help?" Kakashi snarled. "What would help me now is if you hadn't come back to life!"

"Settle down, kit…" Kyuubi hissed softly. Kakashi blinked. Sakumo was staring at him, his eyes wide. His hand was on his chest like he was about to have a heart attack.

"Dad…" Sakumo didn't wait to hear more. He turned and ran out of the room. Kakashi looked around the room. Hinata was staring at Kakashi with wide eyes and Naruto wasn't even looking at the man. What is wrong with me…? Kakashi asked silently. He was pushing everyone away.

"You're tired, you're scared, and you're confused, kit. This is the product of those emotions…"

What's up with you? Kakashi asked. The Fox didn't answer. "Hinata, watch Naruto. I need to find my dad…"

Hinata nodded. "Can I…take him to the hospital with me…?" Kakashi nodded, understanding. She wanted to see her friend.

Kakashi didn't wait for her to thank him or to ask him anymore questions. He had to find his father and fast. Kakashi wasn't sure if he could forgive himself if something happened to his dad. He ran through the village wildly. He didn't even bother summoning the dogs. He has to be okay! Kakashi screamed in his head. Please, Dad…

He ran through the entire village and still no one had seen his father. He wasn't anywhere to be found. Outside the village? he asked the Fox.

"Most likely…" Kyuubi answered quietly. Kakashi nodded and tore out of the village, praying that all he would find would be his father crying. But as he neared the shore of one of the many lakes outside the village, the scent of blood hit him again. This time it was fresh and Kakashi knew exactly whose it was. No… He continued running until he came across a body lying in a pool of blood. Kakashi shook his head. Sakumo's left side was torn open; there was a hole in his chest and a gash on his forehead. Kakashi could see white bone beneath the blood and tissue. He dropped to his knees beside his father. "Dad…?"

"Hey, Kakashi…"

Kakashi jumped. His father's voice sounded strange. It was distant and pleasant like he wasn't in any pain. "Are you okay…?"

"I'm fine, Kakashi."

Kakashi couldn't get over how creepy it was to hear his father's voice with no strain of pain in it while he was staring down at the terrible injuries on the man's body. "We're getting you to the hospital."

"Why…? I feel fine…"

"No, you're not…" Kakashi tried to push back his tears. He put his hands on the man, but Sakumo didn't flinch as Kakashi lifted him. "Do you feel that?"

"Not really…" Sakumo muttered sleepily. His eyes closed.

"No, come on. You gotta stay awake, okay?"

Sakumo shrugged. "Okay," he said. Kakashi sighed and took off running. Sakumo was rambling the whole time, his voice never losing its happy, pleasant tone. It was unnerving and creepy to hear a voice from someone so injured sound so… not injured. Kakashi shook off his feelings and ran faster.

He ran into the hospital. "I need a doctor!" he screamed. The nurse at the front desk took one look at the injured man in Kakashi's arms and the amount of blood covering him and his victim and paged a doctor. The two minutes it took for them to arrive to take Sakumo into surgery were the longest two minutes of Kakashi's life. Why couldn't they be faster? He could feel his father's breathing become weaker.

The sight of the gurney coming towards them was the greatest thing Kakashi had ever seen. He closed his eyes and put his father gently down on the gurney. "Kakashi…?" the man whispered, fear overrunning his voice.

"Dad, just listen to the doctors! I won't leave here!" Sakumo nodded and put his head on the table. Kakashi turned away. Kyuubi… he whispered. There was no answer. Kyuubi… Don't do this to me…

"I'm here, kit… Always here…"

カワリメ

"Hatake Kakashi…"

Kakashi looked up, angry at himself for falling asleep. He blinked away any traces of sleepiness in his eyes. "How… How is he?"

The doctor didn't look Kakashi in the eye, but his expression was stoic and detached, as if the next thing he was about to say meant nothing. Kakashi wanted to strangle him. How could he not care?

"He probably does this all the time… It's easier not to get attached…"

Kakashi nodded at the Fox's words. "His surgery was a success," the doctor said. Kakashi sighed. "But… There were some complications with the head injury. We're going to monitor him closely…"

"Can I see him…?" Kakashi asked timidly.

"He's not awake, but sure…" Kakashi followed silently. He was led into the man's room. Kakashi felt his heart drop. He took a step towards his father. Sakumo's body was hooked up to so many machines Kakashi could hardly see him.

"Dad…?" There was no answer. "Daddy…" The man stepped forward, pulling a chair to his father's bedside. He grabbed his father's hand and gripped it lightly. "Dad, please…" Sakumo didn't answer. There was only the steady beeping of the heart monitor. "Dad… I didn't mean it… I know it sounded like I did… But I didn't… I love you, Daddy. Nothing in this world is going to change that. I can't lose you again, Dad… This fight is up to you… I can't… I can't do this without you. I-I don't know what I was thinking. I wasn't thinking, Dad…" Kakashi couldn't stop the tears that were rolling down his face. "Please, Daddy… I'm sorry. If you hear anything today, hear this… I love you, Daddy… And I'm sorry…"

Kakashi felt the hand in his hand grip slightly. "I… I didn't…d-do… this…" Kakashi turned to his father.

"You…didn't?" Who did…?

"I'll give you two guesses, kit…"

Suddenly the heart monitor beeped faster and Sakumo began convulsing. "Dad… DAD!" Kakashi screamed as doctors poured in, yanking him away from the bedside. "DADDY!"

"Get him out of here!" One of the doctors yelled as they put Sakumo's elevated bed down. A nurse grabbed Kakashi and started dragging him out.

"No! Dad! Listen to me! Don't… Don't leave me!" He struggled against the nurse.

"Sir, you have to leave!"

Kakashi struggled for a few more minutes, but stopped and allowed the nurse to push him out. He watched silently as they wheeled his father towards the OR. He hardly noticed when he dropped to his knees or that tears were falling hard down his face. He hardly noticed when a gentle hand fell on his back and began rubbing it gently. Kakashi leaned on the new person there and allowed himself to be pulled close. "It's okay, Kakashi-kun…" Kakashi looked up through blurry eyes to see a flash of orange goggles before he closed his eyes.

カワリメ

Kiba looked up from where he sat. Kabuto was in the room right beside Shino's. Hinata was visiting Kabuto and Naruto was sleeping in the chair beside him. Kiba looked at Shino's room. Ever since his clan had disowned the bug-wielding boy, he had been even more distant than usual.

Kiba sighed deeply and stood. Akamaru was growling softly beside Shino's door. "What's up, boy…?" Kiba asked. The dog's growl got more intense. Kiba cocked his head and walked to the door. He put his ear to the door. Silence… That's weird…

Kiba opened the door. "Shino…?" There was someone in the room. He recognized the scent. "What are you doing here?" he snarled. The person jumped and turned to the open window, fleeing. Kiba walked quietly to Shino's bed. He stopped short. There was no movement in the boy at all…

"Shino…?" Kiba stared down at the lifeless figure in front of him. "SHINO!"

Author's note: SSOOO late… AGAIN! I'm so sorry! But I hope this one was better than the last one! So much DRAMA! I really hope you liked it!

Also, new transition for you guys! Hope it works! And I just went through and changed EVERY transition in previous chapters! Hope that makes ya'll happy!

Editor's note: This chapter makes me sad. = Peoples is dying left and right. T_T Daddy-san, don't die! D8