Split part III into 2 parts so I can get this posted. Like to finish what I start. Now this is a tragedy folks, it's supposed to be tragic. However... I do have some ideas for a copout loophole alternate ending that could still work. So if you really really can't stand it let me know. But let me finish the story the way I see it first, ok?

Thanks for the reviews, I do appreciate them and take them to heart (see above) but my own vision counts too. Sorry I can't acknowledge by name, I can't get to that page from here without bolluxing it all up. I'll do it later. If you know a better way to respond to reviews let me know. Anyway..

The story continues here:-

Kakashi had been a tiger when he came home that night, a gentle powerful purring snow tiger. All hard muscle, like a tightly wound spring, and soft white hair that got every where. Just as Kakashi got everywhere, on every part of Iruka anyway. He'd tried to stealth into bed, assuming that Iruka would already be asleep. But the younger man wasn't asleep, couldn't sleep without the other beside him. He wondered, when this was over, if he'd ever sleep again.

When Iruka had finally slipped into unconsciousness in his arms, exhausted, Kakashi got up to make breakfast. So as his alarm rang ninety minutes later, the teacher woke to the smell of fresh coffee and burnt toast. He dragged himself out of bed and into the kitchen where the copy nin was standing on a chair putting the smoke detector back together. He sat at the table and took a long swallow of the life restoring caffeine that appeared in his hands.

"Feeling better?" Kakashi asked, sitting opposite him.

"Urgh, too soon to tell." Iruka's eyes slowly focussed enough to make out a small bouquet of violets on the table, next to the roses.

"Yuki didn't send those did he?" He asked in alarm.

Kakashi shook his head and handed him a card. To my sweet Iruka, these shy blossoms reminded me so much of you. Gai.

"I told you he wouldn't give up so easily. By the way how was your date? I told you that he's beautiful."

Iruka sighed. "Yes he is, and strong and passionate. A bit like you." He added, suddenly realising that that was the point. "How was Hinata?"

"Very sweet and very intelligent. I'll marry her if she can divorce her whole horrible clan first."

He smiled brightly, obviously trying to change the mood. "But I have someone quite different for you tonight."

Iruka felt that he just couldn't take any more. "Please Kakashi no more dates. I've been on my own since I was twelve, except these five years I've had with you. And they're my greatest treasure, I'll hold them in my heart forever, and if it's all I get then it will be more than enough. Most people don't get half that much. But I can be on my own again. Just don't try to force me to be something I'm not."

Kakashi scooted around to the chair next to him. "Alright, if that's what you really want."

He nestled his face against the soft brown skin at the nape of Iruka's neck and gently mouthed along the length of his collarbone. When he reached the front he ran his tongue over the notch at the base of his throat, before looking up into eyes that were now glazed with desire, as well as fatigue.

"But I don't have that choice. Tsunade told me yesterday that if I don't choose someone soon she'll marry me herself."

Iruka went rigid. "But she can't do that! Surely she's too old!"

The copy nin allowed his head to droop, tickling him with his hair. "Would you take that chance?"

Darkness and dread started to close in on Iruka's mind. Then, like the sky after a storm, everything became clear.

"We have to leave." He said slowly.

Kakashi's head shot up to fix him with an eye as cold and hard as steel. "You mean run, go missing?"

Iruka nodded. "It's not our fault that they've forced us into this position. You can get us out, hide us, they'll never track you down. We can go up into the mountains and be farmers or monks…"

"Monks?"

The corners of the teacher's mouth twitched into a smile. "Well we can dress like monks."

Kakashi glanced at the clock on the stove. "You have to leave right now or you might be late. We mustn't do anything that's even the slightest bit unusual. No one will expect to see much of us this weekend, they all know it's our last one as a couple. With any luck we won't be missed until you don't show up at the academy on Monday morning."

Iruka swallowed the rest of his cold coffee and ran to get dressed.

Oooooooo

At the end of classes Iruka sat in his classroom grading quizzes. He was desperate, way beyond desperate, to get home. But he remembered Kakashi's warning about not doing anything unusual. And, although he would often take essays and tests home to grade, he always finished grading quizzes before he left.

He was almost through the stack when he sensed a familiar, but unexpected, presence enter the room. "Sakura-chan?" He said, trying very very hard not to sound irritated.

"Can I speak to you for a few minutes?"

"Of course Sakura-chan." Iruka was trying so hard to suppress his nervous chakra that he didn't notice the girl's flaring out of control too much for her to be able to tell.

"It's about Kakashi-sensei."

Iruka lost the struggle and his anxiety spread all over the room. "What's wrong? Is he hurt?"

She smiled. "No, I'm not here as a medic. Actually I wanted to ask you to get me a date with him."

The teacher was too stunned to speak.

"You see," she continued, "I've really liked him, loved him I suppose, for a long time now. I know how you're helping him and I was afraid that you wouldn't think of me. You know because I was his student, and I'm only eighteen and, well lots of reasons." She looked up at Iruka shyly. "All I want is a chance in with everyone else and I really would try to make him happy."

"Sakura, I had no idea!"

"I've never told anyone before." She shot a look at the teacher. "There really wasn't any point and I didn't want to look like even more of an idiot, especially after Sasuke."

"Yes I see, after Sasuke. Do you think Naruto will find him this time?"

"Actually I sort of hope he doesn't. I'm afraid of what he might have turned into by now."

"Maybe, but he has a lot of hidden character, he's a lot like Kakashi in many ways."

Sakura smiled. "Yes but Kakashi-sensei hides it better. It took me a couple of years to work out that his laziness and lateness and porn reading is all fake. And that underneath he really is really special."

Iruka blushed pink. "I can't disagree with you, although I'm afraid he actually does like the porn."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Oh! Well I suppose if you've put up with it this long I could too. By the way, you will explain to Naruto right? When he gets back? He'd kill me if he thought I was trying to take Kakashi-sensei away from you."

Despite the precariousness of his current situation and the recklessness of what he was about to do, Iruka found himself grinning happily that he had found at least one other person who considered his lover lovable.

At home he found Kakashi waiting. He had expected to copy nin to affect an air of perfect calm, so he was surprised and impressed to find that he had exactly the same low level of sad resignation that he'd had all week.

He gave Iruka a lecherous look. "I need to shower for my date tonight, care to join me?" Once in the shower stall he made no attempt to pull the teacher in with him. Instead he whispered instructions under the cover of the gushing water.

"We're leaving for the Snow country as soon as I get back."

"But you hate being cold."

"I know. Pack as much light clothing as you can but just one warm coat. Lots of thin layers are as warm as a few thick ones, we don't want to tip them off. Bring some good weapons and some armour, we won't have any back up. We have enough food for three days without buying more, bring it all. After that we'll hunt."

So it was real, they would be hunted outcasts for the rest of their lives but at least they would live or die together.

Kakashi left for the bar where he was to meet his date, relieved that Iruka had chosen somewhere loud, where he wouldn't have to maintain a conversation.

Iruka set about following Kakashi's instructions then lay down on the bed. He had had less than seven hours sleep in the past two days and he would need all his edge.

He woke to see blue and red eyes staring into his.

"I'm sorry."

Kakashi's words didn't make any sense to his sleep clogged brain.

"I'm sorry Iruka, I can't do it."

There was too much pain in those eyes. Iruka wrapped his arms around him. It was so unlike Kakashi to be the needy one.

"What can't you do Kakashi?"

"I can't go missing. Run. I want to, I really do. You're right, we can find a safe place and stay there quietly for the rest of our lives. But I'm not like you I've never disobeyed, ever. I've been a ninja since I was five, followed orders since I was three. I just can't go against all that now."

Iruka kissed him hard, holding the back of his head so that he could push his tongue and his lips so far into the other man that no one would know where one ended and the other began.

"Don't you dare apologise for being a better and more loyal shinobi than I am. I never should have suggested this in the first place. I asked you not to try to force me to be something I'm not then turned around and tried to make you go against everything you've been your whole life."

"Then you understand?"

"Of course I do, I understand you better than anyone, you said so yourself."

"I'll just marry one of them, Anko, Tsunade, that woman tonight. I don't care."

"Sakura." Iruka cut in. "She came to see me today to ask for a date with you. She said she's had a secret thing for you for years."

"Sakura? Why didn't she ever say anything?"

"Well you weren't available until now."

"Alright, I'll marry Sakura."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo