A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Guest and Idle-ing. Thank you for reviewing! I appreciate it so much. :) And thank you to all of my new followers/favorites. You all are the best!

I apologize for posting a day late. This chapter really did not want to be written, and I'm not entirely satisfied with it, but it is what it is.


The miracle of birth.

Tsunade had never quite understood the fascination and awe associated with the screams—by both mother and child—blood, agony, and exhaustion. Especially today, as she exited the hospital room of her third birth of the day. She stifled a groan as she ran a finger down her clipboard, locating her next patient in room 226. Another expectant mother.

It was October, for crying out loud. Eight months after Kakashi and Sasuke had left. Weren't babies supposed to be born in spring or some such rubbish? But no, it seemed that every unborn child in Konoha had decided to enter the world today.

Tsunade strode down the pristine hallway of the civilian hospital, heels clicking. Which was why the civilian doctors had sent a desperate request to the available medical-nins for assistance in the birthing ward. Unfortunately, available medical-nins included the hokage. She would never turn down a request for help, and she had to admit that medical jutsu had proved very effective for child birth, but still. Why did the request have to be in her least favorite area?

Battle wounds; she'd seen them all. Life-saving surgeries; she'd performed them all, including those previously considered impossible. She knew every way a shinobi could damage their chakra system; from disrupting pathways to foreign seals, and had healed all of them. But child birth?

She grimaced. Normally, medical-nins weren't involved in birthing, as their skills weren't needed for something a civilian doctor could easily perform. She could count on one hand the times she'd assisted in a birthing, and half of them were from today. The others... well, she had no desire to recall them.

And then the one child birth she hadn't been present for, and would forever regret. If she had been, Naruto might still have his parents. A failure she certainly didn't need to be thinking about right now.

Tsunade shoved open the door of room 226 and was greeted with the pants and cries of a woman in the midst of labor pains. The two nurses assisting the woman gaped at her, and one of them stammered, "H-Hokage-sama."

Tsunade ignored their awed expressions. "How far along is she?"

The nurse closest to Tsunade straightened, her face pale, as the other continued speaking to the soon-to-be-mother. "It's been five hours at ten centimeters, Hokage-sama. The baby is face up, and we can't get him to turn. I don't know how—"

Tsunade cursed and strode to the mother's side. The woman's eyes were tightly closed as she struggled to breathe through pushes. "You didn't call a doctor?"

"There—there aren't any available, Hokage-sama. We tried several times."

A man burst into the room, eyes wild. "I searched everywhere, but I couldn't—" His gaze locked on Tsunade. "Hokage-sama?" He swayed, grasping at the door frame as if to steady himself. "My wife needs help!"

"I can see that." Tsunade eyed the frazzled father and offered a calming smile. "Your wife will be fine."

The poor man looked as though he might burst into tears. "Oh, thank you, thank you!"

Tsunade placed her glowing hand over the woman's stomach as the three other occupants of the room watched in silent fascination. First, she sent a pulse of numbing chakra through the woman's nerves, as she normally did for wounded shinobi. The woman's groans stopped and tears of relief filled her dark eyes as she gasped for breath. Tsunade focused on the baby. The nurses were right; he was face up. She shifted her hand over the woman's stomach, and the baby kicked, as if he could sense her chakra.

Interesting. But now was not the time to tell the hopeful parents their child had impressive chakra sensitivity. Instead, an idea grew in her mind. Tsunade increased the intensity of her chakra, just enough to be uncomfortable. As she'd hoped, the baby moved to get away from the sensation. She adjusted her hand slightly, and the baby moved a little more, turning himself over.

The woman groaned, and in moments the birth was over. The baby's cries filled the room, and the new mother fell back limply against the pillows, her smiling face glistening with sweat. Her husband was at her side immediately, stroking her forehead and murmuring.

Tsunade studied the baby's red, wrinkled face as one of the nurses picked him up. No doubt she was going to take him to be cleaned and swaddled. She hadn't had time to stay in the previous births, but as this was her last of the day, she found herself content to stand and watch. Or perhaps she was just too tired to move.

Until the nurse held out the naked, wet baby, beaming. "Hokage-sama, would you like to do the honors?"

Huh? Tsunade blinked rapidly—in case she was hallucinating—but the baby was still there, right in front of her. "I..." She glanced at the parents, but both watched her with wide, hopeful eyes. "Of—of course. I will return shortly."

No way was she cleaning and swaddling a baby for the first time with an audience.

Gingerly, she took the baby from the nurse and cradled him, smearing the fluids covering him all over her white hospital coat. She quickly stepped into the next room, thankfully empty, and located the supplies she needed. The baby squirmed and started to cry again as she gently wiped him down.

Gods. What should she do? Tsunade shot a glance at the door, praying the nurses wouldn't come to see what was wrong. Wait... chakra. Her hands glowed and she let a warm, soothing chakra brush through the small body. The baby stopped crying and his eyes closed, tiny hands closing into fists. Tsunade couldn't resist a smile of satisfaction and finished swaddled him in a soft white blanket. At least, she hoped she'd swaddled him properly. He seemed secure enough.

Tsunade carried the baby back into the room and handed him over to his waiting parents. "Your son. He is a fine baby boy."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." The mother's exhausted—but bright—gaze locked with Tsunade's for a moment, then she turned her attention to the baby in her arms, face glowing with adoration.

Perhaps... there was something to the miracle of birth after all.

Tsunade stepped back and observed the new parents cooing over their child, oblivious to anything else in the room. The father sniffled with emotion, his joyous, pride-filled, and almost disbelieving, gaze constantly shifting from his baby to his wife. Tsunade folded her arms, an uncomfortable feeling growing in her stomach. At fifty-six years old, she'd already resigned herself to the fact that this would never happen to her.

But Kakashi... he deserved this. He deserved the chance to hold his own child in his arms and look down on them with love and pride. He deserved to be a father. She swallowed, a hard lump in her throat.

And that was something she could never give him.

What was she doing? Tsunade pressed a hand to her aching eyes. She couldn't expect Kakashi to think about his future when a shinobi like him lived day-to-day. But she should have.

Why hadn't she?

Tsunade turned and shoved through the door, stumbling into the hallway. Someone called after her, but she didn't stop. She needed to get out of here. Blindly, she passed through nurses, doctors, and patients alike, searching for the exit.

"Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade forced herself to pause at the familiar voice and found Sakura's pink hair. Her student had stopped in the middle of the hall, likely on her way to her next patient, her green eyes narrowed as she studied Tsunade. "Are you all right?"

"H-hai, I'm fine. I finished my shift, so I'm going home." Tsunade raised her hand in farewell before Sakura could speak and continued for the exit. Normally, she appreciated Sakura's intuition, but not today. Still, she felt Sakura's gaze on her until she rounded the corner. With the exit in sight, Tsunade quickened her pace, weaving through the busy main floor.

"Hime! Yo, Tsunade!" Jiraiya's bushy white head towered over the nurses as he shoved his way toward her.

Tsunade gritted her teeth, barely keeping her swimming eyes under control. Jiraiya was the absolute last person she wanted to see or talk to right now. Well, besides Guy. So, she lowered her head and pressed on, pretending she hadn't heard.

"I've been looking for you all day." Jiraiya appeared at her shoulder. "I have something I need to tell—"

Tsunade's hand shot up again, silencing him. "Not right now." She pushed through the doors, leaving him behind. Furiously, she wiped at her eyes as she headed for the Senju residence. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep the memory of her conversation with Kakashi out of her head.

They were walking back to Yamagawa after successfully finding the sealing circle, and she had been desperate to clear up any confusion about the child-bearing scroll in her pack—and, in hindsight, it would have come in handy today.

Kakashi hadn't seemed to care. Instead, he'd avoided her gaze and confessed his own doubts about becoming a father.

Somehow, she'd known he had never told anyone this before. It had touched her, but at the same time, her heart ached for him. She'd wanted to reassure him, so without thinking, she'd placed her hand on his arm and clearly stated her opinion that he would make a great father. An opinion she still held.

But the look in Kakashi's eye... such hope, as if he'd never dared to consider such a thing before.

And was she so selfish she would take that from him? Tsunade entered her house and removed her heels, dropping them carelessly on the floor. She started up the stairway, only wanting to collapse on her bed. She wrenched open her bedroom door and slammed it shut behind her. She knew why she hadn't let herself go here before. Because she wanted Kakashi. Wanted a future with him so badly she could hardly breathe. She buried her face in her hands and sank down on the edge of the bed, tears flowing.

But she couldn't give him both.

.


.

Tsunade woke at midnight. Or, more like her cold feet brought her out of dark and confusing dreams. She groaned, and turned her head enough to glare at her open window, the cool breeze brushing her exposed skin. Her cheeks felt stiff and achy. Had she cried herself to sleep? How juvenile.

Slowly, she pushed herself up, taking in the rumpled bed she'd sprawled on top of. She rubbed her eyes. She should at least change into her pajamas before she crawled under the covers to cry herself to sleep again, this time in comfort.

Sighing, Tsunade padded across the wooden floor to her closet. If she'd thought sleep would bring clarity, she'd been wrong. She ran a hand through her tangled blonde hair and squinted into her dark closet. What was there to do but tell Kakashi she was releasing him from his promise when he returned with Sasuke? No matter how she felt, she had to do what was best for him. She couldn't hold him back. She yanked on what looked like her pajama top, but it clung stubbornly to the hanger, and the entire row of clothes crashed to the floor in a heap.

Tsunade stared unseeingly at the mess, fist still clenching her pajama top. Damn. Why was she so old?

Light flickered in her peripheral, and Tsunade turned to frown at the door. Sure enough, a faint light glowed underneath. What on earth? She was certain she hadn't left any lights on. Grumbling, she grabbed her robe and pulled it on as she flung the door open and thumped down the stairs. If this was some kind of prank...

Tsunade stopped in the entryway to her living area and stared at the blazing fireplace. And the man lounging on her favorite couch. "Jiraiya," she growled, what little patience she had rapidly evaporating. "What are you doing in my house? It's in the middle of the night!"

"Ah, Hime. I was wondering when you would come down." Jiraiya turned to grin at her, resting his arm on the back of the couch. "Come, sit."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. Feeling bratty, she slouched into the living area and dropped into the remaining chair. She crossed her arms over her robe and raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm here. What do you want?"

Jiraiya studied her, and an uncomfortable prickle itched her neck—along with a desire to flee back upstairs. But then Jiraiya spoke evenly, "I couldn't help but notice something was wrong back at the hospital. Want to talk about it?"

Tsunade fidgeted, fighting to keep her expression neutral. This was the problem with having her old teammate around all the time, since he was unable to go on missions. Jiraiya knew her better than almost anyone, and he wasn't afraid to get in her face. She sighed in resignation. "Jiraiya... have you ever wanted to have children?"

Jiraiya froze, his eyes wide, as if she'd caught him peeping in the women's baths again. The look vanished and he only laughed sheepishly. "Uh, well, it never really occurred to me."

Figured. Jiraiya had never been one to settle down anywhere, and she knew staying in Konoha this long had to be driving him crazy. Tsunade massaged her temples. Still, Jiraiya was capable of good advice when he felt like it. What did she have to lose? "I just... seeing those families today…"

Jiraiya stared at her, waiting.

"I'm fifty-six, Jiraiya!" she burst out. Though she couldn't look her friend in the eye, it was a relief to finally voice her fears. "And... and I can't have children anymore. Kakashi is only thirty-two, and he deserves—he deserves to have a family of his own. I can't give that to him. This relationship... it isn't fair to him." She gripped fistfuls of her robe. "I know how he feels about me, but I'm afraid he isn't looking to the future. And... and..." Unable to find words for her tangle of thoughts, she fell silent.

"Ah, Tsunade." Jiraiya leaned back and comfortably crossed one leg over the other. "I've known Hatake for a long time, and believe me when I say that kid doesn't do anything without putting an absurd amount of thought into it." He cracked a grin. "And I think you're forgetting one tiny detail."

Tsunade couldn't imagine what he was referring to. And she wasn't sure she wanted to. "...what?"

Jiraiya jabbed a blunt finger at her. "You're one in a million, and Hatake knows that as well as I do."

Gods, please not this. Tsunade scowled as she adjusted her robe to give herself room to breathe. Why was it so suffocatingly hot in here? "Says the man who calls me old at every opportunity."

"Ah, Hime. You know I don't mean it. Someone has to keep you humble—"

"Naruto does quite a good job of that," Tsunade interrupted testily.

Jiraiya continued as if she hadn't spoken. "Look, I've seen my fair share of women all over the five shinobi countries. Plenty were strong and beautiful. But none of them have ever compared to you."

"Jiraiya..." Tsunade winced. Only he could make a compliment painfully awkward for both of them. Surely, he didn't still feel—

"All I'm saying is, don't sell yourself short. Besides—" Jiraiya stretched his arm behind his head— "it's obvious that Hatake clearly wants you. Has he even mentioned wanting a kid?"

"Well... not exactly. But—"

"There you have it." Jiraiya nodded, as if he'd solved everything. He smirked. "And don't talk to me about getting old. You've got Senju and Uzumaki blood, Tsuna. Hatake will have his work cut out for him trying to keep up with you."

Tsunade's cheeks burned. Gods. If the old pervert wasn't in the middle of her therapy session, she'd wipe that smirk right off his face. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

Jiraiya shrugged easily, smirk lingering. "You know if it doesn't work out with Hatake, you can always come back to me."

"I was never with you, baka." Tsunade shook her head at her teammate's antics and focused on the flickering flames. But he did have a point. Maybe she was overthinking things in Kakashi's prolonged absence. It had been eight months, after all. Kakashi occasionally sent letters to assure her of his and Sasuke's well-being, but they were few and far between so as not to compromise their mission.

Maybe she just missed Kakashi.

"Look, Hime." Jiraiya, too, was gazing at the fire, expression unusually pensive. "For whatever reason, we've both gotten second chances. And I, for one, am not going to let mine pass me by."

Tsunade frowned; she wasn't stupid. She knew Kakashi's love for her was a second chance at a life she'd never thought she would have, and certainly didn't deserve. But Jiraiya... surely he wasn't referring to surviving Pain.

Jiraiya glanced at her, clearly catching the question on her face. He hesitated, then sighed. "I received some news today. I'm leaving Konoha tomorrow, and I don't know when I'll return. Likely not for a long time."

What? He was leaving? "What are you talking about? What news?"

Jiraiya's eyes darted away and he cleared his throat. "I'm... not sure yet. It's something I need to investigate alone."

In spite of her shock, Tsunade's medical instincts kicked in. "You're going to travel alone? But what about your... condition? Your chakra pathways are so damaged you can't perform more than one jutsu, and even doing that would—"

"Tsuna." Jiraiya's smile was tired, as if he'd already known what she would say. "I can take care of myself. We're at peace, aren't we? Enemies are scarce, and if there are any, I'm sure your boyfriend is taking care of them."

"He isn't my boyfriend," Tsunade muttered, dropping Jiraiya's gaze. Whatever she and Kakashi were, it was more than that, and yet... somehow less. But, clearly, Jiraiya had made up his mind, and there was nothing she could do to stop him. No matter her heart squeezed in loneliness at the thought. And when she raised her head, Jiraiya was on his feet. She bit her lip. "Take care of yourself."

Jiraiya nodded and walked to the door. He paused in the doorway, and looked back. "Whatever you might think, Tsuna, I can see that Hatake cares for you more than he's cared about anything."

"Jiraiya, wait." Tsunade stood, taking in the familiar features of her oldest friend. She hoped he knew how grateful she was for his support and friendship, no matter how many times she gave him a well-deserved punch. "Thank you."

Jiraiya's goofy grin filled his face, then he closed the door behind him, leaving her alone.

Tsunade turned back to the fireplace, now mostly down to embers. She pulled her robe tighter, though against the sudden chill or simply for comfort, she didn't know. Fate had blessed her with a second chance with Kakashi. She didn't deserve it, but she wasn't going to give it up to unfounded fears either.

Kakashi deserved a family. Deserved to have the chance to be a father. But it was his decision to make, not hers. When he returned, she would ask him. And if she had to release him from their promise, then she would.

She closed her eyes, shutting in her tears. Until then, she would wait.

.


.

Kakashi ducked and the guard's curved katana blade whistled over his head. He pivoted on his back foot, and brought his shorter and thicker ninjatō up behind him, the heavy hilt crunching into the guard's nose. He howled, staggering back. Too easy. Kakashi only had to reverse his ninjatō, and the blade would plunge through the man's heart. But he hesitated for a split-second.

He could just knock the man out. In spite of the bodies littering the hallway behind him, indecision stayed his hand. The guard was only doing his job. An ache pulsed through Kakashi's heart. No doubt, he had a family waiting for him.

And, unlike the man hiding behind the study doors ahead of him, this guard's name wasn't on the list.

No witnesses.

Kakashi's eyes burned; his mask damp from tears and his victims' blood. No one could know that the mysterious assassin taking out the Akatsuki's former allies was Kakashi Hatake. Not if he wanted to return to Konoha.

To Tsunade.

A single thrust, and it was over. The guard's body hit the floor with a muted thud, and Kakashi stepped over him, reaching the locked study doors in two strides. A single kick, and he was in. To protect his identity, he and Koharu had agreed that he shouldn't use jutsu unless absolutely necessary. So far, it hadn't been. So far, his ninjatō had taken ten names off the list in nine months.

He took his time with every name. Watching, waiting, planning, so that the only kill he had to make was the name.

But tonight, he'd made a mistake. Jin Enomoto, the eleventh name on the list, was supposed to be alone in his study. Had been alone in his study, as Kakashi had crept past the security perimeter he'd slipped through a hundred times before. But a glimpse of long blonde hair, glinting in the moonlight across the wall, had stopped him in his tracks. It was only a servant in the household, but the damage was done. The alarm went off, and instead of taking care of Enomoto quickly and quietly, Kakashi was forced to cut through the entire night guard.

Kakashi tightened his blood-slicked grip on his ninjatō and fixed his attention on the stocky man cowering behind his desk. The deaths tonight were because of his own negligence, and he wanted nothing more than to finish the job and escape to scrub the blood from his skin. Though the feel and stench of it would last much longer.

"Wait! I'll give you anything! Money? I have lots of money!" Enomoto stumbled away, sweat glistening on his balding head as Kakashi continued his approach. "Whatever you want!"

Kakashi paused, meeting the man's gaze. Let him see his tears. The least he could do was show his regret. But he still had a mission to complete.

Enomoto's eyes widened and he shifted tactics. "I—I have a family! Please—"

A single slash, and it was over.

Leaving Enomoto's estate behind, Kakashi stumbled through the forest, still gripping his ninjatō. No point in sheathing it while the blade dripped blood. He hadn't attempted to find a water source to clean himself of the blood drying on his hands, under his fingernails, and speckling his face and hair. Not that he would be able to smell anything out with the scent of blood clogging his nostrils.

Maybe he was just tired of the pointless ritual. Hunt; spill blood; then wash it away as if it had never happened. Again and again.

But it had happened. And no matter how many times he scrubbed his skin raw, the blood was still there. On his hands. Layers and layers of blood. Telling him what he was. A killer. At least... at least Tsunade couldn't see him like this.

Kakashi sighed. He was more than tired. He was weary, bone-weary. But still, he pushed forward. To number twelve.

"You're a hard man to find, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi stopped and turned. Had he been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't heard Sasuke approaching? He studied his former student, who only stood fifteen yards behind him. What was he doing here? He should be in Konoha.

Sasuke took a single step closer, eyes narrowed. "You look like hell."

"Maa, comes with the job." Kakashi shifted, slouching as he faced his student fully. "Why are you here?"

"It took me nine months to find you after you left Konoha that night." Sasuke's voice was as expressionless as his face. "I know what you did. That list is mine, Sensei. My atonement. I can't let you take that from me."

Kakashi blinked, and the tip of his bloody ninjatō sank until it rested against the soft dirt. Sasuke had been chasing him ever since he'd left Konoha? "Sasuke... I took this mission so you wouldn't have to."

"That is my decision, not yours." Sasuke said flatly. "This is my burden to bear."

Sasuke didn't know what he was asking. "No, it isn't. Return to Konoha, Sasuke. Let me finish this."

For the first time, something flashed in Sasuke's dark gaze. "I don't need protecting, and I don't want your help. I have to do this. Give me the list and you can go back to Konoha. It's more your home than mine." He held out his hand. "I can see it in your eyes, Kakashi-sensei. How you long to go back."

Kakashi closed his eyes, blocking out the temptation of Sasuke's outstretched hand. His chest ached. No more hunting. No more would warm blood spray his face; clog his pores. No more leaving bodies in his wake. It would be so easy. He could return to Konoha right now, pardoned, as Sasuke took care of the rest of the list. He could stand by Tsunade's side until her tenure as the Godaime was over, and then... and then...

And what? He would let Sasuke also fall into this pit he'd cast himself into? Kakashi steeled himself and met Sasuke's gaze. "I know the guilt you feel. But this isn't the way to prove yourself. Return to Konoha and surround yourself with your comrades. You won't gain anything by isolating yourself."

He should know. What had years of isolation with only his thoughts and ghosts for company done for him? Nothing. He'd imprisoned himself in a cage of his own making, until Tsunade had returned and shown him the key.

"I'm not returning to Konoha until I have atoned." Sasuke drew his sword and rested the blade against his shoulder. "I didn't want to do this, Kakashi-sensei, but if you won't give me the list, then I'll take it."

Kakashi sighed; heard the paper of the folded list crackle in his jacket pocket. He wasn't going to win this fight. Time to start working on a backup plan. "I can't let you throw yourself back into the darkness."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed; one rings of purple, one flickering red. "So be it."

.


.

Kakashi regained consciousness as dawn spilled over the horizon, sunlight beaming through the leaves and branches. He blinked heavily, struggling to recall... oh, yes. Jin Enomoto, number eleven. Sasuke, the desperation in his eyes fueled by fear, as he removed the list from Kakashi's pocket just before blackness overtook him.

He grimaced as he moved his limbs, aching muscles complaining with the slightest shift. Without Obito's Sharingan, he hadn't had much of a chance against Sasuke's Rinnegan and own Sharingan. And if he were honest, he hadn't been fighting to win. He'd conserved as much energy and chakra as possible, and let Sasuke take him out quickly. He couldn't stop Sasuke in a face-to-face confrontation, so he would have to stop him another way. He only hoped his plan worked.

But for now, his goal was to get to Sasuke before he killed number twelve: Haruka Kon.

Kakashi inhaled the brisk morning air, sharp with cold, and clambered to his feet. He didn't have time to lose. Sasuke may have taken the list, but he'd memorized it long ago.

Kakashi broke into a jog, then leaped into the trees once his muscles had sufficiently warmed. Of course, if he'd destroyed the list as he was supposed to, none of this would have happened. He wasn't sure why he'd kept it. Maybe the act of rebellion against Koharu was his way of respecting his victims.

Night fell, and Kakashi pushed on. The trees passed in blurred shades of darkness and the breeze whistled in his ears. As always, Tsunade's face encompassed his thoughts; her honey eyes pooling with tears, pulling him in. Just as she had been when he'd left her all those months ago. Kakashi curled his fingers into fists, stiff with dried blood. As always, the same doubts assailed him. How could he return to her like this? She deserved so much better than a broken man stained with the blood of others.

He'd wanted his pardon more than anything, but with every kill he committed, the same thought haunted him: was the price worth it?

He wasn't the same man he'd been nine months ago. He'd spoken the truth to Sasuke. Isolation with his only focus on his kills and the subsequent guilt these past months were eating away at him. But even that was gradually fading. He was growing numb to it; just like he had in Anbu all those years ago.

Worse, there was nothing he could do to stop it. He had to do whatever it took to save Sasuke from this path. If that meant keeping this burden squarely on his shoulders, then so be it.

Kakashi shoved away his thoughts of Tsunade. He had to stay strong for Sasuke's sake. So, instead, he brought back the memory of Sasuke's gaze. How his student's fear had shone through guarded depths. His only hope to reach him.

Kakashi reached Haruka Kon's town two hours before dawn. He slipped past the drowsy gatemen and focused on the largest gambling hall in town. Kon's, the dimmed sign read. The man would still be in bed at this hour, and he didn't have much time. If he had to guess, he'd bet Kon was a selfish and cautious man. Which meant the first logical place to look would be living quarters connected to the gambling hall.

Kakashi prowled around the perimeter of the gambling hall. So far, he hadn't seen anything that would necessitate breaking in, but the northern side loomed a good two stories higher than the rest of the gambling hall; an ideal location if Kon wanted to live above his business like a king lording over his kingdom—a flicker of movement up the north side of the building caught his attention.

Clearly, Sasuke had come to the same conclusion.

Kakashi bit out a curse and shot up the side of Kon's gambling house. No time for stealth. He hurled a kunai attached to a wire at the corner of the building, and hurled himself around the corner. With the full weight of his momentum behind him, he crashed through the nearest window feet first and landed in a crouch among the glass shards. He took in the room in an instant.

Sasuke stood at the foot of Kon's bed, right hand crackling with electricity. His eyes widened at the sight of Kakashi and he lifted his hand to aim his Chidori Spear straight at a now-awake and befuddled Kon.

Kakashi caught Sasuke's wrist, just in time to send the lightning-infused chakra into the wall inches from Kon's head.

Sasuke's head swung toward Kakashi, eyes blazing through a curtain of black hair. "Get out of my way, Sensei. If you interfere again—"

"I know you're afraid." Kakashi kept his voice low and firm, hand still locked around Sasuke's wrist. "Facing everyone in Konoha after everything you've done... I would want to run too. But that's the coward's way out."

Sasuke's lip curled. "I'm not a coward."

Kakashi held his gaze. "No, you're not. That's why you know you have to return and face them. Show them you have changed by being there. Some will accept you; some won't. But I know you're strong enough to do it. This mission... the killing... you know how to do that. You're good at it. But trust me when I say that doing this won't help you change. What you need is in Konoha."

A muscle twitched in Sasuke's jaw. "And let you do this mission alone? I can see how much you hate it. You don't fool me, Kakashi-sensei. Listen to your own words. Doing this will destroy you too."

Kakashi exhaled slowly. Sasuke was more right than he knew. But an image of Tsunade's face rose in his mind, and he managed a slight smile. "You're wrong. I already have what I need. And that is what will give me the strength to go on." He tightened his grip. "This is your second chance, Sasuke. Don't blow it."

Sasuke's head sagged. Then he gave a soft chuckle. "Return to Konoha. Maybe you're right, Sensei." He pulled his arm free and turned to the window. "Very well. I'll listen to you... just this once."

Kakashi's throat tightened as he watched his former student perch on the windowsill and glance back. He lifted his hand in farewell, and Sasuke offered a nod. "Take care of yourself, Kakashi-sensei."

Sasuke vanished into the night. The vice around Kakashi's chest finally loosened. At last, he had arrived in time to save a loved one's life.

It was almost enough to ease the pain as he faced Haruka Kon, name number twelve. Kakashi's vision blurred, and he drew his bloodstained ninjatō. If only he didn't have to take a life to do so.


Guest: Thank you so much for your reviews! :D I'm so happy I was able to win you over to this pairing (and bring the tears). My greatest wish has come true. XD Honestly, this story has dragged on much longer than I thought it would (and hopefully for the better). Originally I'd planned around 26 chapters, lol. And yes! They truly do deserve a happy ending.

Idle-ing: Aww, thank you! The hot springs scene wasn't in my plan; it just kind of happened. But some of the best ideas are spontaneous, so I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It was fun to write, for sure. I admit, I didn't really want Kakashi to leave again, but plot has to happen. I'm relieved it didn't feel forced! Haha, yes, I love writing interactions between Tsunade and Naruto, so I try to fit them in whenever possible. I agree, the manga/anime didn't have nearly enough of that. Thank you so much for all of your kind words! :)