AN: Thank you for the reviews. Yes, this story is back da daa daaaaa! I hope you like the emotional conflict built up here…

Chapter 36

"You can't be here… this is just another trick!" Yamato brought his hands up to his head and scrunched his face up as if in pain. "You're not here. No one is here anymore. No one! Except him…"

It wasn't hard for Kakashi to work out who Yamato meant by 'him'. What would prove to be hard though, was convincing him that he was here to help, after abandoning his friend to the snake this whole time. Kakashi felt like his heart might burst with the pain of seeing his friend like this.

"I am here, Tenzo. It's really me. And you're in Konoha, where you belong. You are safe in Konoha."

"Konoha- that isn't my home anymore. It doesn't matter where I am, nowhere is safe. Nowhere. And you… you are not here… this is just another trick, a mind game! I won't be fooled again!"

Yamato lunged at him, swiping his thin arms wide like a bear. Kakashi caught him just as Sasuke moved forwards to defend Kakashi.

"No! Don't! Please he doesn't mean it, he's confused," Kakashi pleaded.

"I don't care; he will not try to harm you again, or he will regret it."

"Sasuke, please… just give us some time alone? I can handle this."

"I don't see why you need to be alone."

"Please. I need to reassure him. What if it were Itachi who needed comforting? Tenzo is like a brother to me… Nothing will happen, I promise. I know my place."

Sasuke thought about that. He wasn't comfortable with Kakashi being alone with this man who Kakashi seemed to care for so much, but the remark about Itachi brought a pang to his heart. He would not admit that to Kakashi though.

And besides, he liked his sensei's tone right now… it was so accepting, so submissive. Like he was his lover. Before he left Sasuke wanted to push just that little bit further.

"And what is that?"

"I'm…" he glanced at Yamato quickly, who struggled then crumpled to his knees, clutching his head and moaning, not paying attention to what Kakashi was saying, clearly fighting whatever demons he had found in Orochimaru's prison. "I'm yours."

Sasuke smirked. "Very well. I shall leave you to it. But remember Kakashi, I won't be far."

"Understood."

And with a final frown at Yamato, Sasuke left.

With his departure Kakashi could finally concentrate on the matter at hand, and knelt in front of his dear friend. "I am here Tenzo. I wasn't before, but I am now. And it is time I will put things right. I won't let you go back to suna again, I will die before I allow that to happen. You will be safe in with me and our remaining friends in this village."

Tenzo cried out in anguish, shaking his head from side to side, eyes still closed. He was dragging his nails down the side of his own face, causing long red marks to appear.

Despite telling himself to be strong, Kakashi's eyes leaked a few tears as he was faced with just pitiable his friend had become, because of him not bothering to lift a finger sooner. "Tenzo, please, look at me. Look at me."

Slowly, the man began to calm down and eventually opened his eyes. His breathing was heavy, his almond eye's wide.

"Kakashi… is that… is that really you? Senpai?"

"Yes, my friend. I'm sorry. For everything. But let me help you know."

Yamato only watched him, trembling slightly from the emotion his tired body and mind were experiencing. His gaze was intense but also puzzled as he watched his old ANBU comrade. "Kakashi-senpai, never cries."

"He does now. For his friends."

Yamato only continued to watch him in silence.

"Will you let me help you?" Kakashi asked again, voice quiet but clear.

Yamato nodded slowly, as if unsure of what was happening. Then he reached out a hand felt Kakashi's unruly hair, his pale face, stroked a thumb over the scar on his eye.

"The sharingan-"

"Is gone. It was taken from me by Madara. Naruto…" Kakashi closed his eyes here and gulped, unable to stop more tears trickling from the corners of his matching eyes as he fought to overcome his moment of grief. He had to be strong for Tenzo. "Naruto healed me."

Yamato considered asking more details, but he had heard of Naruto's fate. Orochimaru and Kabuto had delighted in reminding him.

It was somehow the mention of the young hyperactive prodigy that snapped Yamato out of his suspicion and darker thoughts. Seeing the pain on Kakashi's features… that was something that could not be faked… for he had seen that expression before, when Kakashi had stood before the memorial stone all those times in the past. He knew those tears were genuine.

Yamato, after all he had been through, remained dry eyed, as he was beyond tears now. Instead he decided to distract Kakashi from his grief and get some answers for himself. He gestured to the luxurious living room they currently sat in.

"Senpai… how did you… what happened? Where is… is Orochimari-sama."

Kakashi's stomach clenched painfully at the honorific his kohai attached to that undeserving bastard's name. When he pronounced the snake's name, he did so with as much vehemence as he could, "Orochimaru is gone, back in suna. He can't harm you here- not anymore."

"But, but why? Why would he release me now?" Yamato looked at Kakashi with barely disguised suspicion.

Kakashi glanced away from his dark eyes. "The Hokage ordered your release." He couldn't bring himself to explain what really happened, Sasuke's true motives, and the sacrificing of Anko for his release, it might destroy what was left of his friend.

"The Hoakge… that is Sasuke now? Why would he help me? And why now?"

Kakashi licked his lips, feeling uncomfortable with the questions Yamato would obviously ask- why hadn't he prepared some answers sooner. Too busy wallowing in his own self-pity and shame again.

"Because we didn't know your situation before now… Sakura discovered what conditions you were living in, and after she told me we decided to appeal to the Hokage, Sasuke-sama."

Yamato blushed here. Yes, that was right, Sakura-chan had seen him at his lowest. How would he ever be able to look her in the eye again after acting like an animal in front of her, fighting and begging for scraps of food. His shame was so great.

Kakashi noticed the look on his face. "Whatever you did, whatever happened in Suna, we hold no judgement. You cannot be held accountable for any of your actions there… the blame lies with me. I was your friend, and I was close to the Hokage. I should have acted sooner."

Yamato could see Kakashi's distress clearly, but he was in no condition or frame of mind to comfort anyone, even himself. "Please don't apologise. I'm here now. I'll just have to try and move on… if I can."

Kakashi placed his hands on his kohai's shoulders. "You will. We will all help you through this, to recover."

Yamato looked doubtful. "We'll see."

Kakashi sensed his friend's exhaustion, so he decided to drop the topic. He stood and pulled Yamato to his feet too. "Take a seat, Tenzo, and I shall get you something to eat."

Yamato's head snapped up, his eyes desperate. It saddened Kakashi greatly to see first-hand just how starved his friend was.

He walked to the door, turned and said, "I'll be right back."

Kakashi found his way to the kitchen, where the others members of team Taka were gathered. Karin was at the stove heating some food. Juugo watched Kakashi with some concern. Suigetsu chuckled at the grave faces of the others.

"How is your friend, Kakashi-san?" Juugo asked.

"How you would expect after being locked up and tortured by that snake all these months."

Even Suigetsu shuddered here.

"You look like you could use some tea- or something stronger?" Juugo said kindly.

"Tea will be fine."

Before Kakashi could say anything else, Karin had poured something into a bowl and stomped over to Kakashi, shoving a tray into his hand. "For your friend," was all she said as she stormed off.

Kakashi blinked, wondering what had gotten into her.

"Yes, even Karin can feel pity when it comes to her old employer," Juugo said when he noticed Kakashi's confusion.

Kakashi looked down at the tray. There was a bowl of miso, a little rice and a little bread and cheese. Nothing too heavy, but items that would make him feel full. Kakashi never thought he would feel grateful towards Karin.

He nodded at Juugo and turned to leave, but was met with Sasuke.

"Well?"

"He has calmed down. I am taking him some food now, as you can see."

"Good. He can stay here tonight, but in the morning we will check him into the hospital so they can run some tests and monitor him for a few days. Then we need to find a place for him to stay."

"Can he not stay with me?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "I don't think so. Besides, he will need constant watching at first, while he adjusts here. You can't be there for him, because your place is by my side. And we both know working with a Hokage means long hours."

Kakashi sighed. "Maybe between me and Sakura…"

"We don't to decide tonight. Besides, his foods going cold."

"Right."

Kakashi headed back to the lounge. "Oh and Kakashi," Sasuke called.

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"In the morning, go to Sakura. Tell her you both have the day off."

Kakashi's jaw must have dropped, because Sasuke scoffed. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"Th- thank you, Sasuke."

"Just the one day though."

"Of course."