A/N: So here's the third chapter :) I am slowly starting to add more plot. On a different note: I never thought that I would enjoy writing from the perspective of a four year old that much – it's just so much fun! (No matter what this says about the state of my own mind and thoughts...)

Hope you enjoy this chapter - Asuma and Kurenai will make their first appearence!

Music: While finishing this chapter I listened to "I Will" by Radiohead.

- Chapter 3 -

A New Responsibility

From behind his desk, Sarutobi Hiruzen was able to witness just how easily this morning's incident had unsettled the shinobi now gathered in his office. Their hushed voices could no longer conceal the frustration as it slowly started to pool — together with the rainwater to their restless feet.

Resisting the urge to rub at his tired eyes, the Sandaime straightened somewhat against the backrest before placing his elbows to both his sides on the armrests. Sometimes interlocking his fingers helped him process things and this morning every bit of information could prove to be the missing piece to the puzzle.

Because a puzzle it was. One that made the ninja before him question their defenses, and soon those insecurities would turn into the first signs of paranoia. Which was an understandable reaction, but not necessarily helpful in this case.

The intruders had indeed caused some fine uproar. No attacks, no break-in, no sightings at all — Hardly the work of amateurs.

The general idea was that the intruders could have planted something inside of Konoha. It would at least explain their need for secrecy as well as the lack of clues left behind — however, why not stop the mission once their activities had been discovered? One could easily assume that a village like Konohagakure would not rest as long as the possibility of the threat remained… however small it might seem.

Reaching this conclusion, Hiruzen found himself bothered to the point that he brooded over ways to find it— regardless of what it was, and which use it might provide to those who had left it behind. But for now he would wait for the last two shinobi of the emergency squad to arrive before he gave any new instructions — especially since Gai had mentioned that they had picked up a trace near the old Uchiha district earlier.

Involuntarily the Hokage sighed at the thought of Kakashi searching that part of town and lifted the sleeve of his haori to pull out his pipe.

That boy had simply refused to stand by during the search. Although he had just finished a recon mission at the border of the Land of Fire. Something that, even with the war having ended years ago, still demanded a great deal of energy — not to mention caution, since many survivors still considered it their right to reclaim what they had lost.

Now the silver haired jonin was tasked with the search of the one district he had already scoured for evidence concerning the disappearance of his former Anbu partner.

Realizing that he had used too much tobacco to stuff his pipe, Hiruzen's fingers suddenly faltered in their movements. But before he could correct his mistake, the other shinobi already cleared the way for Gai and one of Kakashi's ninken; both dripping wet.

Looking around Gai blurted out in surprise, "Where's Kakashi?"

"Here" was the prompt reply and Gai turned around to find his rival standing in the half closed door. "Sorry that I'm late. There was someone I had to pick up on the way."

"Again those excuses! You left me standing in the rain!" cried the man with the bowl hair and pointed accusingly towards his rival. "And why aren't you coming inside?"

Kakashi easily ignored the overly dramatic figure as well as the other impatient murmurs. Instead he leant outside to where Fuu was waiting. Putting his hand on her head, he stopped her from shooting worried glances around. Her grip on the straps of her small backpack immediately tightened as if she was ready to bolt any second.

"You ready" Kakashi asked softly and the girl gave a short nod. Probably because she knew that she had no other choice. "Good. Just ignore the bystanders, it'll probably be over in a second."

Before guiding her inside, Kakashi hesitated and blinked down at her trembling features. With an inaudible mumble, he once again brought his hand down to ruffle her soft head before finally giving her backpack a little push.

The little push, however, resulted in Fuu stumbling inside the room full of tense shinobi. They fell immediately silent when they caught sight of small figure who was now blinking around nervously. With great care Fuu took a few steps; the wooden geta sandals gently knocking on the floor. Her dark hair stuck up in a wild curly mess since it had been exposed to the damp air for too long. She looked so very small and lost beneath all of their stares.

"Well, Kakashi, who is it you brought us here?" the Hokage inquired and showed the little girl a warm, wrinkled smile.

Finding himself the subject of both the Hokage's prompting curiosity as well as Fuu's pleading green eyes, Kakashi stepped behind the girl and encouraged her with a slight nod to speak. That's when the child surprised them all by taking another step forward to formally bow to the Hokage.

With the usual behavior of the bratty village kids, the Sandaime was not used to such formalities. He had to admit that this was indeed quite refreshing and a glance around the room told him that he wasn't the only one who was slightly stupefied.

Lifting herself, the girl took one deep breath before reeling off nervously what Kakashi had told her to say, "My name is Fuu and I am - I mean I was a servant of Uchiha Yashiro-sama. The nice Mister was so kind as to tell me why my master did not return." Forced to pause for some oxygen, Fuu hurriedly continued, "The last thing Yashiro-sama ordered me to do, was to go and hide. After that I waited for him to call on me but he didn't…" her voice trailed off and Kakashi lifted his eyes to the Hokage.

"I found Fuu while following a trace leading to the Uchiha district. One of my ninken had picked up the scent of one female intruder and as I was in the gardens near the servant accommodations when this little girl managed to creep up on me" Kakashi explained in a matter-of-factly voice — as though he couldn't hear the others voicing their disapproval.

"She managed to approach you unnoticed?" the Hokage asked, disbelieving his own ears.

"Well, yes. She was afraid I might catch a cold and offered her umbrella to me" the silver haired shinobi continued and shrugged the accusing stares off. "As you may have noticed, Fuu here has almost no presence or aura. Her chakra level is also alarmingly low. If it had been an enemy masking his chakra I would have noticed him, but she gives of the feeling of a stray cat, which normally would be absolutely no reason to worry."

At his words Fuu looked at him with a somewhat puzzled expression and Kakashi realized that saying she was similar to a 'stray cat' wasn't exactly flattering. The low chuckle, with which the Hokage ended the awkward moment Kakashi spent thinking really hard about adding something more befitting to his previous statement, interrupted the silent staring contest between the jonin and little girl.

"It's true that the chakra is hardly notable" the Sandaime agreed. Leaning forward in his seat, he inclined his head as if trying to take a better look at her. "How old are you, Fuu?"

"I am almost five" the girl chirped readily.

"And no one has taught you how to use your chakra I assume?"

As if the Hokage had accused her of stealing, Fuu's eyes widened comically. "Of course not since I am but a mere servant, Hokage-sama. I was only allowed to watch Yashiro-sama train from time to time… he was always very friendly to me."

The atmosphere in the room darkened at the mention of the clan's member. It made them remember the sight of the massacre. Dead bodies spread over the district, some that had tried to run, some who had put up a fight — above all the early sun illuminating the red of Uchiha blood.

Fuu quickly glanced at the faces of some, saddening visibly as she once again remembered that her master was no longer alive. It was that moment when Kakashi felt the first pull. As if the child was drawing him towards her with those feelings of loneliness and insecurity…

Taking notice of his frown, she returned her gaze back to the floor before attempting to sort through the more difficult emotions constricting her chest, "That's why… since this was his last order, I felt that I couldn't betray him, Hokage-sama. Even when I heard people screaming… I am sorry."

"Don't worry, this ain't about bravery, kid. None of your actions could have possibly prevented what happened then and the old Yashiro wanted you to survive. You managed that, so there's no need to blame yourself."

It was Asuma who had stepped forward and now watched Fuu with sympathy gleaming in his dark eyes.

Although Kakashi could have hardly missed the sideway glances both Kurenai and Asuma had sent his way once or twice, he began to realize that Fuu served as a pretty decent attention deflector. It was only a matter of time until Kurenai's instincts would kick in, though. Judging by the small movements of her hands and the twitch of her mouth, she'd soon be all over the girl. But Fuu was too busy stealing sheepish glances at Asuma's face to notice — slightly quivering lip and big eyes included of course.

This kid was definitely a natural to draw in others.

"Thank you, Mister" Fuu finally said while sending a shy smile in the direction of the younger Sarutobi.

"Well, I have to thank you for taking care of Kakashi here" Asuma returned with a smirk that even some of the others shared with him and Kurenai. "What a hopeless scatterbrain forgets to bring an umbrella with him?" Generous person that he was, Asuma gave Kakashi a moment to pull an invisible pissed off face before once growing serious again, "You haven't seen anyone else per chance?"

"No. I only found this Mister in the gardens. Though it seems that no one here thought about bringing an umbrella. You might catch a serious cold" Fuu observed with earnest worry as she glanced at the dripping crowd around her.

"That's why I will send them home now" the Hokage offered with one side of his mouth curling up, as he rose to get the attention of everyone in the room. "Kurenai, would you take care of little Fuu here? I think a hospital check-up is necessary."

"Does this mean that I have no more questions to answer?" Fuu whispered to Kakashi, who was admittedly quite surprised to be the one addressed.

His rather eloquent response was a slow "Ehhm…" as he turned to the Hokage.

He only shook his head, "That would be all for now, Fuu. I am very sorry for your loss. Please know that you've helped us a great deal today so just make sure to visit the hospital and in the meantime, I will find a good place for you to stay."

The old man watched her with a reassuring smile as he dismissed most of the others — only giving Kakashi a quick sign to stay behind. He too should be updated on the situation and Hiruzen wanted to hear the young man's opinion now that he was trying to fully survey what the village was about to face.

After Pakkun too had been released, Kurenai slowly approached the girl. "So, Fuu-chan, creeping up on the very Hatake Kakashi, that's something to boast about!"

"I-I didn't mean to creep on you, Hatake-sama! I just-" but before Fuu could finish her frantic excuse, Kakashi raised both his hands in defeat, trying to calm her.

Kurenai, who had seen him flinch visibly at being called Hatake-sama, could barely contain her gleeful chuckle.

"How about I take you to the hospital and we grab a bite on our way" the kunoichi suggested and offered Fuu her hand.

Again the girl first awaited Kakashi approval, hesitating.

"It's fine, Fuu. Go with Kurenai, I'll catch up with you later" he calmed her, before shooing them away with an impatient gesture.

Both, Hokage and silver haired shinobi waited for the girls to exit the office and what followed was a very long sigh of Kakashi. Usually the sharingan user was not someone who verbalized his emotions so the old man was quite enjoying himself. It was rare to witness signs of such exaggerated relief.

If the Sandaime had known that all it took for his ANBU captain to soften up, was a little girl, he would have arranged for this sooner. Now Hiruzen was already going through all the possibilities in his head, pulling out different ideas and enjoying how they could set things in motion.

Kakashi had earned his respect long ago, but ever since Minato could no longer look after him, he, the Third, felt kind of responsible to carry on said task. Not that it was an easy one…

"I heard that the intruders left. Who went after them?"

Realizing that Kakashi had decided to change the topic as soon as possible just as expected, Hiruzen hid a smile behind his folded hands as he decided to give him a little push.

"A member of the Inuzuka Clan and two ANBU members. Why do you ask? Did you really expect that I would send you after them?" Although the Hokage was not actually angry at the silver haired jonin, they were both aware just how fatal the lack of sleep could be during an important mission. "How did it feel to be caught by a little girl? It seems that she has taken quite a fancy to you, Kakashi."

"She was just glad that someone found her" was the prompt response — Kakashi surely didn't waste time pulling up defenses regarding that issue.

"Hm… then how about you quickly get rid of the information you've been holding back and snatch a few hours of sleep then?"

It was then that Kakashi's eye wandered off to the window behind the Hokage's desk; loosing focus in the haze of the rain. What little was actually visible of his face had taken an unusual skin color. He was very obviously cold and tired — not to mention confused.

"My ninken picked up the smell of sunflowers in front of the Uchiha district, near the moon gate. The girl carried that smell too. But when I asked her if she had wandered off somewhere, she swore to never have left the gardens. I had a look around while she was cleaning up her room… there was no sign of sunflowers. Maybe the tracking squad of the intruders should know about this too" Kakashi requested, his expression showing that he himself believed to be merely grasping at straws.

"Quite a curious tale you're spinning. So you think that Fuu has something to do with them. Assuming that she was the objective — why is she still here? Other than that... Do you really believe she could be a spy?" Hiruzen wondered, clearly disbelieving that Kakashi could have reached said conclusion.

"At least someone should keep an eye on her. Any stranger who appears after such an incident is suspicious, even a little girl like her."

"Point taken. I'll arrange for something. That's what I told little Fuu as well, right?" the old man concluded and finally lit his pipe, taking a deep draw. He then snorted at some foreign thought, blowing the smoke through his nose. "You should take some time off, Kakashi. I will call you, when I need you again."

Kakashi's eye widened only for a short second before he gave in and moved towards the door. From behind his desk, the Third watched how the jonin's back stiffened when he stopped with one hand on the doorknob.

It was Kakashi's indecision holding him back — whether he to voice what was on his mind or just walk on. Something about this conflict seemed to be tearing at him, his shoulders tensing uncomfortably.

Probably because he had been able to feel it ever since that moment he had pushed Fuu inside this room; maybe even before.

How futile it was to now deny it… to avoid using her name… to deliberately distance himself…

Nonetheless it would be his next words that made it final.

"She won't end up in the interrogation department… right?"

The Hokage lowered his head to hide the smile beneath his hat as he contently closed his eyes. Now Kakashi had made her his responsibility.

Thanks again for the review Be-Mindful! :) I am glad you've liked the story so far; crossing fingers actually worked I guess :D

/... / I actually planned for this chapter to be longer but the end of the conversation served as a nice ending. In the next chapter Kakashi will find himself confronted with his new ward, unaware that he got two for the price of one...