"Sorry I'm late, I was lost on the path of life," Kakashi said to his team.

Sakura and Naruto pointed accusatory fingers at him in their frustration.

"Well now that you're finally here, I'm ready sensei for our next ninja mission! No more kid's stuff!" Naruto hollered.

Kakashi put up his hands to calm him, "Take it easy Naruto."

Pulling weeds and picking up trash weren't exactly what the team had in mind, but they did their best to do it without complaint. As the day went on, each part of the mission Naruto managed to derp fantastically.

"You're such a loser," Sasuke scoffed.

Keiko saw the group coming back into the village later that day practically dragging Naruto. They had an exchange of words and Naruto started shouting at Sasuke again. Keiko shook her head.

"You think you're better than everybody," Naruto accused.

"Not everyone, just you. Unless you think you have what it takes to prove me wrong," Sasuke shot back.

Kakashi sighed. "Why don't we call it today guys. You can beat each other up another time."

Sakura chased after Sasuke.

"Instead of flirting, why don't you work on your skills. You're as bad as Naruto...actually worse," Sasuke said coldly.

Kakashi disappeared, leaving the three alone. He reappeared next to Keiko seconds later. "So, what do you think?" he asked.

"You have the patience of a saint," Keiko said. Before she could look at him, her attention was taken by strangers coming into the village. She recognized their faces from the pictures Tenzou had given her earlier; Temari and Kankurō of the Sand.

Kakashi followed her gaze. "Oh, the Genin from the other villages must be arriving. Shouldn't you be at the palace?"

"I thought so too, but I was ordered to observe. I'm not sure why. This has been very irregular," she said, not taking her eyes off the strangers.

"Let's go back home. I need to work on my report. I doubt they're going to start anything so early out in the open...or not," he said as they continued to watch. Kankurō prepared to engage with Sasuke and Keiko twitched. Before she could even take off to stop them, Kakashi grabbed her arm. "Just wait. Sometimes they need to fight their own battles."

The fight was over before it could get started. The third Sand Genin appeared behind Sasuke and called his siblings off. Keiko's eye narrowed. Gaara. "Kakashi, he's a Jinchūriki," she said darkly.

Kakashi looked mildly interested. "Yes, I know. Come on."

A messenger showed up next to them, summoning them both up to the palace. Neither of them were really surprised with all the activity that day.

Keiko sat to the rear of the room and waited. The Hokage had gathered some of the Jonin who currently had students and some of the leaders at the academy.

"In one week, all the Genin will be tested," Hiruzen said.

They looked at one another in surprise. They hadn't expected that their students would be tested during this round of the exams.

"That's awfully soon. I thought we'd have more time," Kakashi said.

"Ultimately of course, it's up for you to decide when they are ready," Hiruzen said, addressing the Jonin at large. "Well Kakashi, you begin."

"Very well. I recommend all three of my students for the Chunin exams," he said.

Keiko looked at him in surprise. She wasn't the only one. Iruka gasped upon hearing this. Kakashi wasn't the only leader to recommend all of his students. Kurenai and Asuma in turn recommended their team as well. Keiko could only presume it was to let them try their strength, but the Chunin exams were very serious and taxing. The Genin definitely would have their work cut out for them.

Iruka made to protest and Keiko shifted uncomfortably as she listened to the exchange between him and Kakashi.

"I understand this is personal for you Iruka, but they're not your students anymore. They're mine," Kakashi said.

"All right, that's enough. You've made your points. I think the best thing to do in this case is to hold a preliminary test, then we can decide," Hiruzen said. The rest nodded

\\\\

"Hmm, no opinion?" Kakashi asked when he was back home with Keiko.

"I told you, I'm not going to question your decisions without good reason. Just watch out for them, ok?"

"You know I will," he said.

"I do have one thing I wanted to mention," Keiko continued. Kakashi waited silently. "Keep a very close eye on Sasuke."

"I intended to. I think he has a lot of promise. He reminds me of myself when I was younger in fact."

"That doesn't mean he is you. I know the look of seething in desire for revenge, and he has it," she said.

"And it may be his driving force for improvement," Kakashi said. "I will watch them all very closely love. You have my word."

Kakashi had gone out with Keiko that night on a run. She'd been rather insistent on casing the area at the perimeters of the village with the impending exams.

"We do have teams that do this," he reminded her.

"And I'm supposed to be working with them. I've not been asked to play hostess this time around. I need to do my job the best I can."

Kakashi sighed but didn't argue. He admired her drive. When she was satisfied the village was secure, they stopped by their tree to look at the stars. They hadn't the time to do that much of late. Now that she wasn't focused on her task, she relaxed and she was back to her light demeanor. Kakashi smiled as he listened to her tell him about the kids and others in the village that he had missed while he was away.

"So what's this I hear from Tenzou that you tried to burn him to a crisp?" Kakashi asked.

"Don't put it that way. It was during sparring."

"And he also mentioned you shocked him with water. I didn't put much thought into it until earlier. Are you working on channeling lightning?"

"I wasn't really working on it. It was just something in the moment. I tried to mimic your chakra flow from our match, and I noticed something when Naruto and Sasuke were climbing the tree. Balance and control. That's the secret. It's something I'll have to work on."

Kakashi eyed her. She didn't have any visual skills like the Sharingan or Byakugan, but she detected chakra flow. And she managed to gain insight on lightning from one sparring match with him?

"You keep going at this rate, you're going to kick my ass next time we spar. That would be rather embarrassing," he said.

"Was that praise Hatake Kakashi?" Keiko mocked.

"I give praise freely. But sometimes people just need a push," he smiled.

"And that's why you're having Team 7 do the Chunin exams."

"I knew we were made for each other," he said as he put his arm around her. Keiko leaned her head onto his shoulder and closed her eyes happily.