Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Just my OCs.
Pre-Team 7
A few months later…
It had been about six months since Hitomi came to Konoha and about a month since she gave birth to her son. She moved in with Jai for better protection; putting Jai's and Kakashi's plans to move in together on hold.
The young couple agreed that, with his ANBU missions and schedule, and her dedication to Hitomi and Takeru, it made no difference if they lived together or separate since the amount of time, they would be able to spend together remained the same.
Kakashi laid out on one side of the large bed with his orange novel in hand. He looked up from the page and lazily glanced around the room. Over the years, the spacious master suite accumulated more and more items to the point where it was no longer just plain and barren like when she first moved in.
He remembered when she bought the house; she was still trying to get her bearings as a newly appointed kunoichi. She was only fourteen when she showed interest in buying the property. Hiruzen suggested an apartment, but she insisted on having something with a yard. She sold her childhood home, liquidated her guardian's assets, and put the profits into the house he was currently lounging in.
…
"Here."
Kakashi looked down at the item that was placed in the palm of his hand by Jai.
"What's this for?"
"I am giving you a copy of the key to my house."
His face fell into an incredulous look. "Did you really buy it?"
"Yes."
"Why? It's too much space for just one person," he began to count off his fingers the many reasons why she shouldn't have purchased the house. "Why not just move into the same complex that I'm at?"
After his father's death, he left his childhood home and moved into one of the shinobi complexes
"The backyard is really nice for my plants and I wanted something spacious and open... where the walls do not confine me." The last part she whispered but he heard it.
His lecturing quickly died off into silence when he realized what she was referring to; causing sympathy to grace his features and a slight feeling of remorse. His childhood certainly wasn't the best, but when compared to hers, he was always reminded that, even though his life was hard, there were other people who had it harder.
"You can come over any time."
His fingers closed around the silver key. "Yeah," he said as he rubbed the top of her head.
…
He got up from the bed to look out the large bay window that overlooked the backyard. It was a fenced-in yard that was wide and open and held his wife's garden. Every plant had a purpose when she started her garden; herbs with the occasion floral plant. All used in medicine. But ever since Hitomi moved in, more and more flowers were planted for aesthetic purposes rather than medical.
A sisterly bond had formed between the two women in the last six months and Kakashi was happy for Jai. He turned away from the window and stared at her. She was dressed casually for the day; white shorts and a light over-sized, wide-collared, knitted sweater.
"So, remind me what this meeting is for again?"
"It is a bi-annual meeting between the board members."
"I see. And where is it taking place?"
"At the Nishiyama Inn."
His breath caught in his throat. "That's the most luxurious inn in the whole village!"
Jai nodded. "So, I have been told. Hitomi's company bought it after the original owners decided they wanted to retire and travel the world."
"Should she even be attending with a newborn?"
Jai sighed. "I asked her the same question, but it is not as if I can just leave him with someone… else…" the last bit of her sentence trailed off, her eyes falling on him.
"No," he quickly declined. It wasn't that he didn't like kids, he just didn't know what to do with them.
"It was worth a try…" They would just have to bring Takeru with them.
Three knocks came from the door to her bedroom before it opened. "Jai, we have to go- oh!" Hitomi's face flushed pink when she saw that Jai wasn't alone in her room. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to intrude!"
"It is fine. You are not intruding."
"Okay…" she looked at the man and carefully observed him.
He was dressed in all black with a grey vest that covered his upper body. The lower half of his face was covered by a mask and his Konoha headband fell over his left eye. His silver hair was his most distinctive feature amongst the dark colors of his attire.
'Is he intentionally trying to be mysterious?'
She had seen him around before, but the two never exchanged any other words aside from polite greetings and acknowledgments.
"Kakashi, right?"
He nodded. "Always nice to see you, Hitomi," he said as he pulled out his novel once more and excused himself. "I'll see you later," he said to Jai. On his way out he rubbed the top of her head.
Making sure that Kakashi was no longer within earshot, Hitomi proceeded to question her friend with a sly smile. "Sooooo, Kakashi seems nice…"
Jai nodded. "You said something about us needing to go. Go where exactly?"
"Oh!" Hitomi suddenly remembered why she rushed into the room. "C'mon! We have to go shopping!" she grabbed Jai's hand and began to pull her out of the room and towards Takeru's nursery.
"For what?"
Hitomi picked up her son from his crib and wrapped him in his cloth carrier. "The event tomorrow night!"
"Event? Tomorrow night? We only have the meeting at noon tomorrow."
"Yes, but we also have the charity event that evening. It's black-tie and I've seen your closet. We must go shopping!"
Jai's eyes narrowed. "Shopping?"
"Yes! I've already made appointments with the best shops in town! We don't want to be late!"
"Appointments?"
With her son securely wrapped against her chest, Hitomi grabbed Jai's hand again and pulled her out of the house, where they made their way towards the village's shopping district.
The next night…
"Do you want children, Jai?"
She gave her friend a questioning look. "Why are you asking me such a question at a time like this?" The agitation was evident in her voice.
Jai was currently standing along one of the walls in the large ballroom wearing a formal dress that she didn't care for.
Just for this event, Hitomi took her to all the high-end shops. It was a new experience for Jai and one that she never wanted to do again. She was touched and poked by many different strangers for her dress and shoe size, shoved into fitting rooms with piles of clothes thrown at her to try on, and then put on a pedestal to be looked at before the process repeated itself. And that was just for a dress. Her hands clenched when she remembered what she went through for her hair, makeup, and her nails.
'Why not just give the money directly to the organizations instead of throwing a party?'
It had been almost two hours since the event started, and all everyone did was just mingle, drink, and eat. The food was made from the finest ingredients and the drinks were all top-shelf. Even the musicians came at a costly price.
'All the money that was put into organizing this could have just been donated'
She stood tall against the wall with her hair professionally braided and twisted into an elegant side bun with strands left out to frame her face. The dress she wore was black in color and cut into a sleeveless high neck style that hugged her form and grazed the floor. The open back of her dress had an intricate design that was made up of threaded beaded crystals that glistened in the light radiating off the large crystal chandelier. One stilettoed foot rested against the wall, causing the slit in the lower part of her dress to expose her toned and sleek legs, and her dark red painted lips fell into a grimace as she continued to stand against the wall with her arms folded across her chest. Her pretty face was professionally made-up, but it seemed almost a waste since she had an annoyed look on her face.
Despite her frustration, she thought about her answer to Hitomi's random question.
'Me? A mother…?'
The thought never crossed her mind, but the question made her think back to her childhood.
"No," was Jai's blunt answer.
Hitomi took a sip from her mocktail. "Why not?" she further inquired as she joined Jai against the wall, watching the wealthy interact with each other.
'I do not think I would make a good parent. I do not even know if Kakashi would want any… and otou-san…'
Jai quickly stopped her thoughts.
'I do not want to think about him'
"I do not think motherhood would suit me," was her curt reply.
She could tell Hitomi was about to ask another question. "This line of questioning makes me uncomfortable. I am twenty years old and already been put in charge of running a hospital. I have more than enough responsibilities to deal with. To add a child would be irresponsible."
"I see your point."
The conversation ended and the two fell into a comfortable silence. Since Jai decided to close her eyes and tune out the small-talk between the affluent, she failed to see the young suitor approaching.
His walk was suave and confident, and when he reached them Hitomi swore he did a small pose as if he were posing for a photographer. The young mother giggled behind her hand while her friend remained indifferent. It wasn't until he cleared his throat did Jai finally open her eyes.
The man stood tall and confident in his black expensive tuxedo and his slicked-back blonde hair. His amber-hued eyes looked directly at Jai before winking at her. "Would you like to-"
"No, thank you," she replied in her usual blunt manner.
The man was taken aback by her tone before he brushed it off and tried again. "You don't even know what I was going to ask you," he said with a smile most would find charming.
Jai's expression remained neutral and unimpressed. "Regardless, I am not interested in finding out."
Hitomi silently watched the exchange between them with bated breath.
'Poor sap, he's the fourth guy to try'
"Oh, c'mon gorgeous," He pressed as he brought his hand up to trace along her jaw. "I can show you the finer things in life- AH!"
His hand was now in Jai's tight grasp as she slowly increased the pressure. "Do not touch me." Her voice was calm but heavy with malice and her eyes threatening. She roughly twisted his arm behind his back and shoved him back towards the crowd.
He looked back at her with a scowl. "Fucking uptight bitch!"
"Excuse me?" Hitomi decided to intervene after hearing his rude comment. "Who the hell do you-"
"Leave him be, Hitomi," Jai said, her calm demeanor never changing.
A few people were starting to stare in their direction.
"But-"
"He is not worth getting into an altercation with."
"What d'you say, bitch?!" he started to make his way back over to them.
Hitomi moved to intervene. "Hey! Don't call her that-!" but she was roughly pushed aside before she could finish her sentence.
Jai was suddenly before the unsuspecting civilian man with a look that could kill. The collar of his expensive button-up shirt was now crumpled in her hand as she pulled on it to bring his face down to be met with her fist. Upon impact, she released his shirt and let the force of her strike propel him away from them, causing him to skid across the floor.
"Jai!"
The entire ballroom crowd was now silent and staring.
She assessed her friend's state and checked her over to make sure there were no injuries. "Are you alright, Hitomi?" Jai casually asked, as if punching someone was an everyday occurrence.
'Well, I guess it is in her line of work…'
"I'm fine. He only pushed me."
Jai nodded before walking back over to help the man back to his feet. He flinched away, but she ignored his reaction and pulled him back to his feet by the lapels of his jacket. "I believe it is time to take our leave."
"Yeah…" Hitomi said with a sigh as she followed Jai, making sure to give the man who pushed her a dirty look as she walked by him.
The crowd immediately broke out into murmurs and whispers. The people parted and gave them space as they made their way out the ballroom.
"A shinobi?!"
"Here of all places?"
"Is she her bodyguard?"
"Such a beautiful woman, yet brute-like strength."
"I always thought them to be more barbaric."
"She certainly could use some manners!"
As soon as they were in the hallway Hitomi couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter. "That was awesome, Jai!" she cackled as she jovially slapped against her friend's back. "Poor guy didn't even know what was coming to him! And you totally decked him right in the face! It'll definitely leave a mark!"
"Violence is not something to laugh about, Hitomi."
"Oh, but he totally deserved it!" her laugh turned into snorts.
"I was just doing my job. There were no feelings of enjoyment."
"Plenty of enjoyment from my perspective!" she snickered. "Tell me, why did you turn all those men down tonight? All of them are gorgeous, very well-off, and would have probably done anything to be with you. Not only that, but they could give you everything you could ever want or need…"
"I am happily married."
"… And you're so pretty. You honestly could have your pick of any guy in the world, but I guess since you're happily married it makes sense why you wouldn't be… interested..." Hitomi's words slowly died off when she realized what Jai had said. "Wait…" Did she hear Jai correctly? "Married?" Her eyes slowly widened in shock. "Married?!" She grabbed Jai's arm to stop her from walking any further. "Married! Married?!"
"Hitomi, please. You will wake your son."
Hitomi's grip was clenched tightly around Jai's upper arms. "I could care less right now! You said you're married! Married! To who?! For how long?! Why didn't I know?! You're Takeru's Godmother for Kami's sake!"
Jai's brows furrowed in annoyance. "I will be glad to tell you everything but let us not disturb the other guests and your son."
"Go on." Hitomi urged with irritation in her voice as she settled herself into the armchair adjacent to Jai's place on the sofa.
Much to Jai's reluctance, she agreed that it would be best for them to just stay the night at the inn. With it being on the outskirts of the village, they would get back to the house at a very late hour.
Upon entering their suite, Hitomi commanded Jai to sit and wait on the sofa while she put her son down for bed.
"Where would you like me to start?"
"Oh gee, I don't know… how about who the hell you're married to!"
Jai sighed. "Kakashi."
"Kakashi… you mean the guy that was in your bedroom the other day?!"
"That would be Kakashi."
Hitomi's face scrunched in confusion. She wasn't sure how she felt about that fact.
'Doesn't have much personality to him… always looks bored… wonder what makes her so attracted to him… maybe it's the mysterious aspect…'
"He seems kinda boring, Jai."
Jai merely shrugged. "What else would you like to know?"
"How long have you two been married?"
"We got married last year.
"Uh-huh… and how did you guys meet?"
"We grew up together."
"Awe, that's so cute! Childhood sweethearts! Ne, ne, how did he propose? Was it romantic? Did he even get you a ring?"
Jai lightly pulled on the high collar of her dress and pulled out a thin gold chain that had two gold rings dangling from it.
"And why aren't you wearing it? That would have made your marital status obvious!"
Jai remembered the day Kakashi gave her the ring, and it certainly wasn't romantic. "Kakashi is not a fan of jewelry, and I do not like how it sits on my finger when I wear gloves. Which is why I have both our rings on this chain."
…
Three years ago...
They had attended the village's spring festival together. She apologized for being late, saying that she had trouble finding a yukata and required help in tying the obi. Kakashi saw that the price tag was still attached, meaning she had just bought it and rushed over.
He complimented her appearance in the yukata. It wasn't anything extravagant or flashy; light coral pink with a white and red obi around her waist. He chuckled and flicked her on the forehead. "The tag is still on it," he mentioned as he ripped it off. "I wouldn't have minded waiting. You wait for me all the time. So, what do you want to do first?"
"I do not know… what is there to do during festivals?"
He lightly smiled beneath his mask. "Lots." He took her hand in his and made it his goal of the night to make sure she got the full festival experience.
The smell of all the street foods was intoxicating, the vendors were inviting, the sounds and lights were eye-catching. He worried that it would all be overwhelming for her, but it quickly faded when he saw the excited and anxious look in her eyes. Her hand tightened around his when they reached certain areas that were more crowded, in which she later found out that he secretly enjoyed her hand in his and made it a point to not let it go.
After they engorged themselves on all the food and festival treats, he informed her about the fireworks and suggested they leave the festival for a better location with a more promising view.
They sat atop Hokage-iwa and waited. She agreed with him that the view was indeed better. The stars were more visible, and the moon appeared to be closer. The gentle breeze blew through the trees and the sounds of the festival could still be heard but in a more distant tone.
Kakashi kept looking at her from the side of his eye; commemorating her appearance to memory. "Beautiful…"
"Did you say something?"
"I think we should be a couple," he said in a cool and nonchalant manner.
Her brows raised in surprise as she was caught off guard by his words. "Are you asking or telling me?"
He shrugged. "Both…?"
Her lips slightly curved upwards. "Okay."
…
Hitomi was not amused. In fact, she was incredibly let down. "That's how he asked you out?!"
"Is something wrong?"
"Yeah! It's such a lame way to start a relationship! Was his proposal any better?"
"You are so harsh, Hitomi."
"Someone as pretty and talented as you deserve to be swept off your feet on a daily basis!"
"I would quickly grow resentful of the constant attention, and you are getting loud again…"
…
One year ago...
They were attending the same festival that they went to all those years ago; the one that started their romantic adventure. Only this year he was going to ask her to marry him.
Before they went to the festival, the two shopped together for yukatas since their old ones no longer fit. He was quick in finding a robe for himself. A robe that was blue-gray in color with a white sash. With the items in his arms, he made to look for Jai and see how she was doing.
'Maybe she's in the fitting room…'
"Jai?" he called out.
"Kakashi!"
Her voice sounded like a cry for help, which he followed towards the back of the store. He lightly chuckled to himself at what he saw. The poor girl was currently surrounded by three of the store's clerks with each of them holding up different robes, obis, sashes, and trinkets up to her person.
"No, use this one for the obi! It goes with the robe and really brings out her eyes!" One clerk held up the clothing on the side of her face.
"We're not using that one! The blue one is better!"
"What are you going to do with your hair, dear? I think something like this would go well in it!" she quickly twisted Jai's hair into a quick updo and placed the ornate hair stick into her strands.
"I was just going to leave it like it is…" Jai said as she attempted to dodge the clerk and her hands.
"Such a pretty thing! It's so fun to dress you up! There are so many options that you can pull off!"
"We haven't even looked at shoes for you yet!"
"I do not need any."
The older women were obviously making her uncomfortable, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything for fear of being rude or disrespectful. She saw Kakashi standing behind them through the reflection of the mirror and gave him a pleading look with her eyes.
'Help me'
She silently begged. She wasn't sure how she ended up in this predicament. All she did was inform one of the clerks that she needed assistance in picking out a yukata. It went from her looking through the racks to the clerk offering suggestions. And then before she knew it, she was suddenly bombarded and surrounded by the rest of the clerks.
He cleared his throat loudly enough to garner all the women's attention. "I think that dark blue one with pink flowers would be the best one," he suggested.
All three of the clerks stopped and stared at Kakashi before they grabbed the yukata that was thrown across one of the display tables.
The clerk to Jai's left quickly pulled off the red yukata she was currently wearing and replaced it with Kakashi's suggestion. "Oh! He's right!"
"With this red obi to add some contrast!" the other clerk made quick work in wrapping and tying the obi around her waist.
"Ooooh! It's perfect!"
"Add the white braided belt as an accent to the obi too!"
"Let's use this hair stick! A splash of gold and the way it dangles will add some elegant flare!"
The dark color of the yukata robe made the color of her eyes and the fairness of her skin stand out. "We'll take the whole ensemble," Kakashi said.
All three women perked up.
Through his mask, he politely smiled at the three clerks. "There also won't be a need to bag it up, we'll wear it out."
"What a sweet man!"
"Is this your boyfriend, dear?"
"Such a cute couple."
"But-" Jai made to protest, but she was soon ushered into one of the fitting rooms.
"Come now, my dear! Let's get you dressed and ready to go!"
After Kakashi paid for everything, it was time for the festival to begin but the sky was looking grey. It lightly rained that evening, but it wasn't enough to deter guests or stop the festival.
After the fireworks, the two of them aimlessly wandered around the more wooded area of the village before they realized that they had ended up at Jai's favorite spot: a riverbank that was surrounded by lush grass and flowers.
Like before, the moon was full and the two of them found themselves relaxing in the grass and enjoying what nature had to offer. The gentle breeze blew and disturbed the surrounding cherry blossom trees, causing thousands of petals to fly off from the branches. The way the moon's light fell upon her and how the petals blew around her made Kakashi think of the folktale of the cow herder and the weaver girl. How a simple man fell instantly in love with a goddess and stole her robes because he couldn't live without her.
He was the cow herder and she was the goddess, and he knew right then that he couldn't live without her. He wouldn't live without her. And that he'd do whatever he needed to keep her.
He reached out to her. The few times where his hands weren't gloved. He cradled her face between his calloused hands and brought his clothed forehead to hers. His eyes closed when he breathed in her scent.
"Marry me, Jai," he breathed out.
He heard her breath catch in her throat. "What?"
"Marry me." This time it sounded more assured. Or was it more along the line of desperation?
"Why?" she instantly regretted what she said. Her hands gripped his wrists to keep him from pulling away. "I did not mean to say that!" She was an idiot because only an idiot would question why someone would propose to the person they loved. "I just want to know why you feel the need to…" she couldn't find the right words. "… why you feel the need to make this more…"
'More binding? No, that sounds horrible. Official? Yes, official sounded good'
"Official! Why do you want to make this thing- I mean not "thing"! Why do you want to make our relationship more official – not that it is not already official, but just more-"
"Jai, stop."
"That would be wise…" she sighed. "I am embarrassing myself-"
"I told you to stop talking."
"Right. Of course-"
He pinched her lips with his index and forefinger. "I knew what you meant, but your rambling made it difficult for me to get a single word in." He felt the muscles around her mouth twitch as she tried to say something. "Don't talk. Just listen," he commanded before letting her lips go. "I love you. I want you to be the first thing I see when I wake up every morning, and I want you to be the last thing I see before I go to sleep every night. You're the last good thing left in my life right now. I know I screwed up in the past and hurt you, and I know you've forgiven me for that. But I haven't forgiven myself for that – I honestly, feel like I don't deserve you, but I'm selfish and don't ever want to be without you. I want you to be mine and mine alone for as long as I live… if you'll have me."
He waited with bated breath for her to say something – to do something. It felt like ages before he felt her hands on the sides of his face.
"Of course, I will," she whispered to him. "You mean everything to me, Kakashi. Come what may, I will always love you."
…
Hitomi's sniffling brought Jai out from her memory.
"That's…" she sniffed. "That's so cute, Jai-chan!"
"Why are you crying?"
"Because I see why you married him!"
"You do?"
"Of course! After a confession like that, no woman would ever say no!"
Jai sighed. "I would have married him regardless of the confession."
"Ne, ne! Why does he keep half of his face covered all the time?"
"It is something he has been doing since he was a child."
"He's hiding something under it, isn't he? Like buckteeth!"
"He does not have buckteeth, Hitomi."
"Oh yeah? Then I bet it's really big flappy lips!"
"He does not have those either."
"Small kissy lips then?"
"No," Jai sighed.
"Oh! I've got it! Hairy moles!"
"Actually, he does have a beauty mark, but I do not think it is why he hides his face."
"Hmm… what else could it be…"
"You could just ask him, Hitomi."
"Where's the fun in that?"
Eventually, Hitomi was urged to go to bed by Jai after she continued to yawn and rub at her eyes. Deciding to do one final perimeter check, Jai summoned multiple shadow clones: one to leave in their room, and the others for every floor of the hotel while she checked the grounds. She was still in her evening dress and heels and told herself that, after she made sure there were no threats, removing her person from the articles of clothing and accessories would be something to look forward to after a long day.
The hot springs were her last place to check before calling it a night. The steam radiating from the springs was very tempting to Jai – especially after a night like tonight.
'Perhaps a quick dip would be alright…'
If she hurried and finished up, she would be able to make it in time before the springs closed for the night. Deeming the springs clear of any threats, she made to go back to the suite before time ran out but stopped when she felt a presence behind her. Jai suddenly turned with a short thin knife in her hand.
"Woah! Easy!"
Her tense demeanor quickly fell when she recognized the ANBU mask. "Kakashi?!" she harshly whispered. "What are you doing here?" She asked as she slipped the knife back into the holster that wrapped around her upper thigh.
"My unit and a couple of others were privately requested by some of the guests that attended your little event."
"I see." She wondered if he was watching her throughout the night.
"I almost felt bad for the guy you punched."
That answered her question. "He pushed Hitomi."
"I'm not saying it wasn't justified. Can't blame him too much though."
This was the first time he had ever seen Jai so dressed up. Part of him wanted to place a cloak over her form to hide her from all the leering eyes in the ballroom while the other part wanted her to never take off the dress – well he wouldn't mind seeing it strewn about his bedroom floor either.
"Your whole ensemble… this dress…" he breathed. "… it's…" There were so many words he could use to describe the way she looked tonight. Sexy, seductive, alluring, sophisticated. "… you look very beautiful tonight. Not that you don't look beautiful all the time, it's just you're even more so."
"It is just a dress, Kakashi."
'If only it were, Jai…'
He stepped closer to her. With the added height from her heels, she was almost eye level with him. His gloved hand lightly followed the lines of her face before tracing her painted lips. "I couldn't take my eyes off you – almost distracted me from my mission." His masked face was so close to hers, the scent of her perfume was intoxicating.
"Stop being histrionic."
He lifted his ANBU mask upwards, leaving only his masked lower face exposed. "I'm being serious." His head angled to the right and his gloved hand started to slowly lower his clothed mask. Right as he was about to connect his lips to hers, Jai suddenly turned her head to the side.
"What's wrong?"
She was now on edge when she realized her Kage bunshin had dispelled itself. "Hitomi!" Something was wrong. She turned and left Kakashi to quickly make her way back to their suite.
"Jai!" He radioed to his squad. "We have a situation in room number 406. Jai and I are headed there now. Maintain your posts for now."
"Roger."
"Understood."
"Copy."
He knew that now was not the time for such light thoughts, but Kakashi couldn't help but be impressed that Jai moved in the stilettoes as if she were wearing her regular shoes.
They made it outside the room's within a minute's time with Takeru's cries coming through the door, making the uneasy feeling within her stomach churn more.
'Hitomi would not let him cry like that'
Jai decided to forgo the room key and practically broke down the door to their room in her urgency.
"Geez, Jai!"
She ignored him and rushed over to Hitomi's room. Upon opening the door, she was greeted by the sight of a crying Takeru in his crib and Hitomi face down on the ground, unmoving and unconscious.
"Hitomi!" Jai dropped to the ground and turned her over. "No!" The kunoichi was met with Hitomi's wide, lifeless eyes. Out of desperation, she began CPR.
From his place at the doorway, Kakashi already knew. Hitomi's complexion had paled, her lips were turning blue with signs of drying foam around her mouth. There was no doubt that she was cold to the touch.
"Jai," Kakashi moved to stop her compressions but she harshly shrugged him off.
"No! I can save her!" she cried as she started once more. "Just… just a little…"
He couldn't watch her any longer. Kakashi tightly enveloped her within his arms and pulled her away from the body. She struggled against him and pleaded that he release her. "She's dead, Jai!" he pulled her further away and held her even tighter. "She's dead," he repeated. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
