Author's Note: This chapter is a little different from the other chapters, POV wise. And I still kinda suck at intros. Just wanted to give the head's up.

It had grown dark a long time ago, but he continued to wander the streets of Konoha. He was searching for someone, and though many figures passed all around him, none of them was that person. Somehow, he found himself back at his apartment. A dark haired boy stood leaning against the wall near the entrance, waiting for him. He'd recognize that wild Uchiha hair and goggles anywhere.

The boy raised his head and grinned up at him. "You're late, Kakashi."

"I'm sorry, Obito," said Kakashi as he came to stand before his old friend. "I was looking for someone."

"Oh?" the boy raised a brow curiously. "And did you find him?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No."

The boy pushed himself from the wall and raised both arms up in a stretch. "Man, what a pain," he yawned. "Have you looked inside?"

Kakashi tilted his head slightly and studied the boy. He seemed amused. "No," he repeated.

Obito's grin grew wide and he stepped aside, gesturing towards the door. "Well, then."

Kakashi stared at the Uchiha for a moment longer, shrugged, and walked inside. The blackness surrounded him immediately, so dark he could not even see his feet, but he continued forward. A dim light appeared before him and he made his way towards it. A mirror. Kakashi stood before it and stared at his reflection. His left eye - Obito's eye - seemed to scrutinize him from behind the mirror, the dark swirls spinning lazily around the iris of their own accord. Kakashi sighed, "So it's you, after all."

He awoke with crisp, early morning air filling his lungs. Opening his eyes slowly, he saw that dawn had not yet broken. All was still in the house. Kakashi pushed himself up from the sofa and ran a hand through his unruly silver-white hair. An uneasiness lingered in his heart from the dream and forced him to his feet. Within minutes, he found himself standing before Sasuke's room. He did not have to look inside to know there was no one there. Kakashi closed his eyes painfully and pressed a hand to his forehead. "Sasuke..."

It was going to be a very very long day.

Sasuke was just about to pass the final clearing before the forest began, not too far away from where Sakura had tried to stop him all those years ago, when the ANBU appeared. They surrounded him, ten strong. Much more than he expected. He lowered his head and smiled. "This will be interesting."

"Where are you going?" one of them demanded.

He glanced at each ANBU warily. So these are the best chosen by the Fifth, he thought. "Where do you think I'm going?" He challenged, his arms falling inconspicuously to his side.

"We cannot allow you to leave the village," came a woman's voice behind him.

Sasuke smiled and pushed his left leg back in a ready stance. The ANBUs did the same, a few with hands ready on the hilt of their katanas. He shook his head and chuckled. "I will give you all one chance. Get out of my way or I will kill you."

"Such threats are not necessary," a somewhat familiar voice responded calmly.

An eleventh? Sasuke's eyes darted up to the treetops where another ANBU, recently arrived, stood. He sensed at least one more on the way. His eyes narrowed on the newcomer and transformed into the bloody red orbs of the sharingan. That one is the captain, he thought. Suddenly he sensed something small and fast coming towards him. He swerved just in time to feel a dart brush against his neck and smell poison on it. Three more were shot at him instantaneously from the left, right and above. The darts were aimed with planned precision. Despite how fast he could move, it would be impossible to dodge all three. Briefly, Sasuke remembered having had classes with a shinobi skilled in battle strategy. Well, he was good at games too. Sasuke leaped into the air and did a difficult eight-ring twist, allowing himself to catch the darts that came from the top and the right with his hands and swerving away from the third. Sasuke landed in a crouching position a few feet away, one palm pressed flat against the earth's surface. Two darts lay discarded at his side. Several gasps filled the air and, panting, Sasuke became painfully aware of someone standing just behind his crouched figure. Shit! He rolled onto his back, eyes snapped shut and arms raised instinctively and belatedly in defense of whatever final blow would be dealt to him.

Nothing came.

He felt a soft thud as something collapsed before him. Sasuke opened his eyes. "Kakashi!" He screamed, horrified at the sight of the white-haired jounin kneeling before him. He scrambled to his feet and caught the older man in his arms as he fell forward. His fingers brushed the fourth, previously unseen dart lodged in the man's back. "No!" Sasuke gasped, involuntarily squeezing Kakashi's arms and causing him more pain.

"Get the Fifth!" Someone amongst the ANBU cried out. Several disappeared instantly towards the village.

Kakashi watched them go from the corner of his eye and sighed. He tried to relax despite the poison making him feel like he was burning from the inside out. Still, the fact that he could feel pain was reassuring in it's own way. The poison was not meant to kill instantly, he winced. The heat, however, was excruciating. Dark shadows gathered around him and spoke in hushed voices.

"He's fading too fast."

"Shouldn't we pull out the dart?"

"No, Tsunade-sama is on her way."

Thin, delicate fingers brush hair from his sweating face. "Stay."

Kakashi heard the voice, the word. It was so close ... so rasped with guilt. As he faded from consciousness, he decided he'd try as best he could.

The boy swung his bare legs lazily over the pier. His toes touched the cool water and traced circles in it. Beside him, a man with a head of shocking blonde hair laughed and leaned back on his arms. "It's nice here, isn't it Kakashi?"

The boy looked up at the wide grin on his teacher's face and then out at the setting sun. It painted the sky in bright oranges, yellow and red. The lake reflected the sky, surrounding them above and below in warm, autumn colors. It was a magnificent sight. He shrugged and feigned disinterest, "I guess."

"Obito told me something interesting today."

Kakashi rolled his eyes.

"He told me you found him."

Kakashi thought about it for a moment and shrugged again. "Maybe."

Suddenly, he felt himself in a headlock. A fist descended onto his head and began to rub furiously against his hair. Kakashi cried out in surprise, "Stop! Arashi-sensei!"

The older man released him and laughed out loud once more. He looked down warmly at his young student and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You made a promise, right? I know you won't let us down." He turned his gaze back towards the sunset and smiled knowingly. "Everything flows like a river through time. One day, Kakashi, you'll see something just as beautiful again."

He came to in a hospital room with a massive throbbing in his head. Kakashi groaned and turned his head towards the window. There the Fifth stood looking rather crossed and relieved at the same time. It made for a curious expression on her face. He blinked.

"You're a fool," she said. "An even bigger fool then that Naruto kid."

"Sasuke?" He managed to ask hoarsely as he tried to rise into a sitting position.

Tsunade shook her head and muttered something along the lines of, "You'll all be the death of me," and stalked out. A moment later, the boy in question stepped into the room. He stopped a few feet from Kakashi's bed and stared at him.

"Why did you get in the way?" he demanded.

Kakashi sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "I'm glad to see you're okay too, Sasuke."

"WHY?" he asked again, stepping forward with a look that threatened violence now that he knew the jounin would live.

Kakashi sat calmly in his bed and watched the boy tremble with anger and ... well, now was not the time to ponder such things. "It was not your time," he answered simply.

"But you figured it might be yours?" Sasuke growled. "Idiot! Who are you to decide who lives and who should die?"

Kakashi's hand shot out, grabbed Sasuke by the arm and yanked him towards the side of the bed. The boy glared at the offensive hand and then at the man. "Someone who cares," Kakashi hissed and let go before Sasuke could forcefully pull his arm away. He matched the boy's angry glare with his own intense stare. "Or have you forgotten what that's like?"

Sasuke's mouth opened in rebuttal, but the argument did not come to him. He frowned, angry at himself and angry at Kakashi for nearly getting himself killed and making him feel the way he did now. "You're even more annoying than Naruto," he spat.

Kakashi tried not to grin at the deja vu. With nothing more to say, the boy marched angrily out of the room.

"Wait," Kakashi called, stopping him at the doorway. The boy turned his head partially to glance back at him. "Will you be there when I get out?"

Sasuke put one hand on the doorframe and snorted. "Hn."

And he was gone.