Chapter Two

Sakumo frowned silently as he leaned against the wall of the Hokage's office, his dark eyes taking in everything from the team of genin standing with Minato, to Sarutobi's slumped shoulders and Jiraiya's refusal to so much as glance in their direction. He noticed that his son was a few years older than he had been when he'd last seen him just the day before.

Jiraiya shifted in agitation from when he was settling a slender silver-haired man on the couch in the office, keeping his back to them and Sarutobi sighed.

"Team Minato, Kushina-chan, what is the date?"

"June 19 10XX, Hokage-sama. What-" He raised a hand, cutting Minato off, before turning his gaze onto the silent man against the wall.

"And you, Sakumo-kun?"

Kakashi whirled around his eyes wide as they landed on his father, who straightened and moved to stand beside him.

"October 2, 10XX." He replied quietly and Kakashi flinched subtly while Jiraiya tensed.

A day before his death.

For a moment it was silent before Kushina let out a frustrated sound.

"What the hell is going on?" She exploded and Jiraiya turned and glared at them all venomously.

"All of you barring the Hatake brat are dead. You've been brought to the future thanks to a jutsu that Orochimaru botched."

Obito paled. "W-we're dead?"

"Not in your time you're not, however to us you've all been dead for years."

Minato stepped forward to placate his sensei, having never seen the man so agitated. However, before he could a soft groan sounded from the man on the couch.

It was the sound of yelling that awoke him at first. The voice was so familiar it almost hurt to hear it because he knew it couldn't be who he thought it was.

BloodScreamingPainAnguish

"Protect him…. protect Naruto."

KyuubiFireBurningFlesh

MakeitstopMakeitstopNoMorePlease

"Tonight a great sacrifice was made. Hokage-sama and his wife are…dead."

His heart clenches in his chest and he groans as the scents around him filter in through his senses. Each one is one he would recognize as well as he would his own…five of them are impossible.

Oranges, Dango, musk, cats. Obito.

Rocks crushing fragile bones. Regret, guilt, anguish. A broken half-smile.

"My…my sharingan. Take it."

I'msosorryPleaseforgivemeI'msorrySosorry.

Lilies, rain, ginger. Rin.

A fist of lightning through the heart. Failure, guilt.

"No…No! Rin, don't go!"

"'m sorry, Kashi-kun."

I'msorryMyfaultSoSorryIt'sallmyfault.

Fire, earth, musk, air. Sensei.

A peaceful smile on bloodless lips. The wailing of an infant in the air, the remains of a beast's destruction. Too Late. Hollow, numb.

You're all alone…

Fox, ramen, sea water. Kushina-neechan.

"I'm sorry…she's gone."

Emptiness.

Alone…

Lightning, power, home, safe. Tou-san.

A broken body slumped on a tatami mat, a disgraced tanto buried in its stomach.

"Tou-san! Wake up! I'm sorry, please! Wake-up! Kai! It's okay, it's just a genjustu! It's just a test."

Denial. Guilt.

His eyes shot open.

"Sh," Came a soothing voice, a heavy calloused hand coming to rest on his forehead as his eyes darted around the room. "Take it easy, gaki."

He pushed the older man away and sat up, inwardly frowning as he took in the five in front of him.

He'd come to terms with their deaths, all of them…at least that's what he liked to let himself believe. If that was true, however, why did he currently feel like he was balancing on the edge of another breakdown? Hopefully it didn't come to that, Tsunade-sama would kill him after the last time that happened. Instantly his mask slid on, and he eye-smiled, forcing his emotions down deep inside himself. He would deal with them later when he was alone.

"Maa, well doesn't this look interesting?"

"Maa, well doesn't this look interesting?"

Everyone stared at silver-haired man sitting beside Jiraiya incredulously taking in the all too familiar hair-style and face-mask.

They took in the jounin uniform clothing his slim frame, the slanted headband hiding his left eye from the world and the eye-smile he graced them with. Finally, Obito broke the silence.

"Bakakashi?"

The man merely smiled and pulled a book from his kunai pouch, while Kakashi, their Kakashi scowled.

"Of course not, dumbass. He's an idiot."

Something dangerous flashed in the older male's single dark eye, KI flaring momentarily before it was all skillfully hidden.

The Sandaime decided to intervene. "Orochimaru tried to perform the Kinjutsu Edo Tensei, which allows the user to resurrect and control the dead. It is irreversible. Kakashi-kun intercepted the jutsu, resulting in you all being brought forward in time, permanently."

"So we're stuck here? What about our village?! We're at war! We can't just abandon them!" Kushina yelled angrily, green eyes flashing red in her anger.

"Yeah!" Obito agree, frowning fiercely.

The older Kakashi chuckled softly and turned the page of the book in his hand.

"The war is over. We won it fourteen years ago." He replied and Jiraiya sighed at his bluntness when the time-travelers all stilled and stared at him.

"He could've said it kinder, but Kakashi is right. We won the war. If that was influenced by you traveling here our memories would've changed as well, however they haven't. As of now the five of you, six if you count Kyuubi, exist outside of the time-stream."

Kushina bowed her head appeased and Minato turned to the Hokage.

"Where are we going to stay?"

The Sandaime looked over at the older Kakashi who looked up as if sensing his gaze.

"You'll need escorts to help you adjust to the time and the changes around you and somewhere big enough for you and your escorts to stay," He began and Jiraiya started to shake his head.

"No Sensei. Don't."

"As such, Team Seven's new mission will be escorting our time travelers through the changes they are experiencing," chills raced down Kakashi's spine and he knew what his Kage was going to say before he even finished speaking.

"And you will all be staying in the Hatake Compound. Do you accept?"

Kakashi stood fluidly despite the exhaustion wracking his limbs. Jiraiya stood beside him, lips pursed in a thin line, his aura silently begging him to decline. Unfortunately, he'd always been a glutton for punishment and his eye curled into a smile.

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"Very well. Collect your team and return here."

He bowed, ignoring the way his throat tightened and the way his mind screamed in protest.

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

TBC…