Author's Note:

Again, thank you for your patience as I fly through these updates. I'll go back and try to make sure it's done better later, but I wanted to get the story out before I got sucked into something else and more time passed.

The conversation will get a lot of "back-and-forth" like, so to prevent the "he said/she said" stuff, I'm just going to do "He:" and "She:"

Sorry if it gets confusing...

HERE WE GO!

Chapter 21 - Complicated Truths

The following morning, Chise woke filthy and still tangled in Kakashi. She quietly turned to pull herself away when his arms tightened around her. "Don't leave," he mumbled into her hair. "I just got back yesterday."

Chise giggled, "You came home this morning."

"Last night," he corrected, still sleeping.

"Fine," she laughed again, "you came to my room this morning. It's evening. We slept the day away." She tried to get up again, but he didn't move. "Babes, I have to shower."

"Shower with me," he whined uncharacteristically.

"We live in housing, it's not co-ed." She tried one more time but his well muscled arms locked her in place.

Kakashi wrapped his legs around her, "Then live with me."

Her breathing stopped and her eyes went wide. Thankful she had her back to him, she started to panic.

"Your heart is racing..." he teased. "Is that a yes?" He rolled her on her back and his smile faded from him. You don't look happy...you look like you're..." and sure enough tears started to fall. "Chise?" he asked in a tone that was confusion, hurt, anger, and concern.

Her heart raced and her face flushed. "I...I've been a vagabond all my life..."

"We been together for 2 years now..."

"But it's only temporary..."

What?! "Temporary?" He sat up, away from her.

"I was never intended to stay..." she tried to exaplin.

His head snapped back, "Do you even love me?"

Her eyes went from panic to pain. "How could you? Of course I do!" She watched helplessly as Kakashi pulled his clothes on. "I'm not good at playing house..."

"What? Is that what this is? You think I'm playing house with you? What am I to you?"

"Please," she begged, reaching for him. "Please let me explain..."

"You've been doing a great job so far," he snarled, his pain turning to anger as he stomped towards the door.

"Please Kakahi, I just... I don't..."

[SLAM]

"...I don't do well with commitment..." her voice trailed as she sat on her bed staring at the door. Her heart was still racing and she began to feel feverish. "I need to shower," she proclaimed in a daze and to no one in particular.

Having showered did nothing for her emotionally, but she returned with determination. She was going to do what she did best...wander. Maybe I'll get my hair cut... I always feel liberated when it's short and I think it's time I got some freedom...Grabbing her travel bag, she began stuffing it with clothes and some snacks.

She ran out the door, her feet carrying her fast through town.

Is that Chise? "Chise," Yamato called, but she walked faster. Something's not right...She broke out into a dead run after realizing Yamato was trying to pursue her. Heading for the gate, Yamato followed.

She was faster now due to the training, it was a few miles beyond the gate before he finally caught up to her. Grabbing her shoulders, he spun her around to find tears in her eyes. "Chise," his voice dripped with concern.

She pulled on her hair, "I can't do this anymore. It's suffocating. Let go!" Chise aggressively pushed Yamato away. Fearing he would never see her again, he tried to hold on tighter. "No!" she cried, putting a hand to his face and one on his arm trying to force him off of her.

"Calm down, please," she was writhing like a cat. "STOP!" They struggled and then she finally broke free, stumbled away from him. "Tell me what happened Chise..." Yamato walked over to her slowly and simply stood in front of her.

"It was a train wreck. All the words came out wrong."

Still confused, Yamato simply offered support. "What did you want to say?"

"I love you. Yes, I will, I accept." His heart twinged in pain. Ah...Kakashi proposed.

She continued, "But, I'm scared..." Yamato slowly approached and rubbed her back consolingly. "No one's loved me since..."

I love you.

"...since my parents. I mean," she started to pace now, "i've been alone for so long. Now i'm here, it's not my norm. He's in and out at random for various lengths of time. Sometimes with no warning...and..." he noticed she was becoming frantic again. "And, he asked me to live with him."

Yamato's sigh of relief went unnoticed.

"But that's a huge commitment. I mean, that's permanent. I haven't been bound to anything in decades and now..." she turned to him crying again. "Now I'm here and 1/2 the time i feel suffocated, like, like I need to go, but then he goes on a mission and the panic subsides but now..." She was pacing again, "I love him. I mean, I really do...but when you have something that means you can lose it. I haven't thought like that in years. It scared me. I'm still scared."

Yamato slowly approached and reassured her. "Kakashi is usually at the memorial stone first thing in the morning. He's probably just as upset as you are, but because he was expecting a different outcome. You both love each other." Yamato swallowed those last words. "I'm sure if you just had a chance to talk with him, calmly, he'd understand." Yamato hated defending Kakashi, but he cared for Chise more than he was jealous. Her happiness is my own, he reminded himself. "He's not the only one who has be alone. It's an unfortunate commonality, but it is one." He walked over to pick her up bag. "Come on, I'll take you most of the way there." He turned around to ensure she was following when he saw it...

Chise was stoic. He thought she was calming down, but she was almost too calm now considering how hysterical she was moments ago. Then, her eyes seemed to flash. He was caught off guard by the sudden change in her eyes but quickly came to his senses when she started to fall. Throwing her bag aside, he caught her before she hit the ground. Instantly he made a clone to find Kakashi while he tried to revive her.

Unsuccessful, he check her pulse and noticed it was considerably slowed. He adjusted her on his back and ran off towards the hospital.

Near the Memorial Stone

"Oh Yamato," Kakashi said cheerily as he slipped a small box into his breast pocket. His eyes narrowed as 'Yamato' approached. "Oh," he said noticing it was a clone.

"I'm not sure where to start, but I found CHise. She collapsed while we talked..." Kakashi's eyes went wide, but 'Yamato' stopped him. "It wasn't natural." The clone looked him directly in the eye, "I swear I saw her eyes flash and then her pulse dropped. I'm taking her to the hospital right now."

Kakashi nodded, "I'll meet them there. Get the Hokage."

Later, At the Hospital

Yamato, Kakashi and the Hokage were in the room. Chise had fallen into a coma. Her chakra flow was centralized around her brain and heart. Her vitals were extremely low.

Looking over her, Lady Tsunade finally broke the silence. "Well, now is as good a time as any."

Before they could ask, Inoichi and Ibiki walked in. Understanding what was going on, Kakashi stood in protest but Lady Tsunade continued. "Probe her mind whiel she's defenseless and her vitals are low. You should meet little resistance. Ibiki will assist. Do not over exert yourself, do not harm her. Make multiple 'visits' if you need to, but find me answers."

On her way out, Lady Tsunade stopped short in front of Kakashi, "I am sorry," she said without looking at him, "But do not interfere" and with that she left.

A little while later, the Hokage returned. Yamato excused himself leaving Ibiki, Inoichi and Kakashi. Ibiki and Inoichi decided against the elaborate set up they normally used for mind probes and covered Chise's body with a sheet that had writings on it.

Kakashi, absentmindedly watched as Inoichi wove his hand signs and place his hand on Chise's head. Ibiki stood close by, watching.

Inside Chise's Mind

Inoichi's project self stood on the edge of her consciousness. Instead of open books floating around waiting to be read, it more resembled an abandoned museum: boarded up, covered, obvious vacancies where things once were. Inoichi surveyed his surroundings and moved forward cautiously until he met resistance. A miasma like fog crept up to him. It wasn't suffocating, but rather ridiculously dense. He looked down and purposefully pushed himself through the fog while watching it creep up his body.

"WHO ARE YOU?"

Inoichi's head snapped up confused.

"GET OUT!" yelled a mand with red hair.

"Please, I'm from Konohagakure-"

"GET OUT!" The man moved closer, threateningly.

"We are trying to help Chise."

The man stopped. "Nothing is wrong with her except your interference. LEAVE!"

"We want to protect her."

"What do you think I'm doing."

"Let us help you..."

"To what end? Only to use her? Like every other village did to an Uzumaki with powers? They're all dead now."

"We want to help her and another Uzumaki. Please," the miasma enveloped Inoichi and suffocated him.

Outside Chise's Mind

"Inoichi!" Ibiki cried as Inoichi was thrown from Chise's.

"What's happening?" The Hokage demanded, but stopped when Chise sat up, throwing off the sheet.

"You have a few minutes. Ask and be quick." Chise spoke in a voice that was hers but in a manner that was not. Her face never looking up, as if she was sleep talking.

Lady Hokage ran in front of Chise.

Hokage: Does she have sealing abilities?

Chise: Yes.

Hokage: Is she trained in ninjutsu?

Chise: Yes.

Hokage: Did you disrupt her chakra?

Chise: Obviously.

Hokage: Who am I speaking with?

Chise: Her father.

Hokage: Why?

Chise: Be more specific.

Hokage: Why did you seal her abilities?

Chise: She was being hunted. SHe has powers and she has a special ability, a kekkei genkai that appears ever few generations in the Uzumaki Clan.

Hokage: What is it?

Chise: The ability to undo seals.

Hokage: Of course, the best at sealing would be the best at undoing. So was she hunted for research?

Chise: Many eyars before my time, research was done to try and replicate the ability. To make it appear sooner, more consistently. It was horrific and become forbidden. At some point, during our clan's annihilation, the forbidden research was stolen. With it was documentation that the Kekkei Genkai was due to resurface during that generation.

Hokage: Is that why she wanders?

Chise: I was already a wanderer when I met her mother. We just continued the life style after her birth..." I did incite a need within her to move. I tampered with her memories and physically altered her chakra to inhibit her abilities and create a psychological desire for her to stay on the move to ensure survival.

Hokage: What happened? Why didn't you just change her last name from Uzumaki?

Chise: There was no time. We were caught unaware. Her mother was attacked and killed on her way home. I had minutes before the attackers reached the house. I sealed Chise, hid her under floor boards and was killed. In my haste, things were sloppily done and my consciousness is here to keep it from breaking.

Chise looked up at Lady Hokage, her eyes were bright. "Now Leave before you do any more damage!"

"Will she remember this," Kakashi called from his seat, desperation clinging to his voice.

"Yes," she turned to him, "since I am speaking through her."

"Why is it breaking?"

"Love."

Kakashi caught his breath.

Chise's father continued. "Her growing desire for permanence is stronger than my seal can contain. It was always meant to break, as no one can wander forever. But it was supposed to peel away slowly. I had not time," her father said regretfully. Saddened by the fact he knew he could have done better if he just had more time. "If it falls apart... like a dam, the flood of everything could kill her. Her chakra, memories, powers, it's too much at once. Someone must have done something to excite her so much that the seal is breaking."

"Do you not know-"

Chise cut off Kakashi, "I am her past. That is all. Now I must go. She will be in a coma until I am done repairing."

"Can you fix it?"

"I am dead. I am a floating consciousness and her past. I am the will of a father that loves his daughter. It is a miracle I've been here this long. It'll be a miracle if I'm here after she awakens."

Chise collapsed in bed. The Hokage adjusted her, tucking her back in bed.

The room was heavy with silence.

Now I understand her panic over asking her to live with me. Kakashi berated himself for not trying to understand more.

If she can undo seals, does that mean she can make them? Her eyes glowed, is it an occular jutsu or was that her chakra? Will he allow more of her to break through or keep her sealed... The Hokage's mind filled with more questions she was hoping to ask. "Inoichi!"

"Yes Lady Hokage."

"Can you go back?"

"I could..."

"But," she turned to eye him sharply.

Inoichi looked at her directly in the eye to convey his intent, "I do not recommend it. Mind blocks are a fragile thing, let alone chakra blocks. He's not only hiding parts of her mind, he's rearranging them. We can only assume that she's quite powerful if others are going to lengths to obtain her abilities."

"She doesn't necessarily have to be powerful," Ibiki spoke. "She could just have the kekkei genkai and that could be enough."

"I want to know more. How does it work. How strong she is." The Hokage added looking over Chise once more. "If she is as hunted as they say, then we must offer her protection. We won't know anything else until she wakes up." With that, Lady Tsunade left in the company of Ibiki and Inoichi.

Kakashi made his way to Chise's side, slipped his hand in hers. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I understand now. I'm sorry I doubted you." He kissed her hand and then placed it on his cheek. Sighing heavily he leaned over and chastely kissed her lips, "Please don't leave me. Be safe. Come back to me."

He pulled up a chair, sat in it and held her hand. Kakashi kept watch over his beloved, patiently waiting for her to wake from her coma.