Author's Notes: A sequel to Kakashi Gaiden. Beware OCC-ness: I've been told Kakashi is a lot darker than he normally is. Expect sporadic, random updates; my muses don't like cooperating lately...

Anyway, a note for fans of "A Warriors Secret Heart" (Just incase): … PLEASE don't kill me for not updating that fic; I will, I promise… I'm just having a bit of trouble getting around to it…

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Chapter 1

Rin had been standing in the field for a long time. A very long time. Ever since Kakashi woke up in fact, which was several hours ago.

Kakashi silently watched her from the boulder. He hadn't moved either.

Sensei had gone off on some errand or other shortly after Kakashi had assured him that he was fine.

It had been almost noon when sensei left; it was now well into the night. The already weak starlight dimmed perceptibly, and Kakashi looked to the night sky… but instead only saw a flat, grey ceiling of dark storm clouds.

A chill wind blew, a stark contrast to the warm day it had been a few short hours ago.

Kakashi eyed the menacing storm warily; it looked rather severe, and Kakashi could smell the moisture that permeated air, and felt the electricity surround him.

Glancing at Rin in the field, Kakashi worried that she wasn't noticing.

His worries were well founded.

----

Rin was still confused about everything that had happened today… or was it yesterday? Maybe a week ago? Or was it a life time? Rin's sense of time seemed to be alarmingly off, though she ranked that near the bottom of her list of pressing concerns.

And right at the top of said list, was figuring out just what the hell was going on, anymore.

--

It had happened so fast: the Hidden Rock ninjas captured her, and put her under the interrogation genjutsu (art of illusion). The next thing she knew, Kakashi and Obito were standing in front of her, asking her if she was alright. She'd stared at them a moment, trying to erase the horrible images from her mind, not sure if this was more of the Rock-nin's (Rock Ninja) torture. The last, now-wounded Rocknin stood in the entrance to the cave that Rin had been taken to, to be interrogated. Before Rin could figure out what was happening, Kakashi was yelling for them to get out, fast. His panicked voice spurred her into motion; more from the shock of actually hearing him have emotion in his voice, than his words.
When Kakashi grabbed her and tugged to get her moving, Rin stumbled into action, running after Kakashi and Obito. Boulders were falling all around them, the cave was collapsing, but it looked like that would make it out… then suddenly Kakashi disappeared from her side. Rin spun on her heel, looking for him. She saw him falling, eyes shut.

"KAKASHI!"

All she could do was scream his name.

Obito was suddenly there, trying to drag Kakashi along, but he wasn't going to make it…

--

"Rin…"

Rin started, and whirled on the quiet, familiar monotone voice.

Surprised that Kakashi would interrupt her, since was someone who valued seclusion and aloofness more than anyone she'd ever know, Rin just looked at him in mild surprise.

"Rin, it's raining. You'll catch cold if you stay out here…" Kakashi stated in his quiet way, after a moment of watching her with his usual half-lidded eyes.

Or, really, eye; he'd pulled his hitae-ite over his left eye… Obito's eye…

Not for the first time, Rin wondered what went on behind those carefully guarded hazel orbs.

Rin was far too caught up in her own thoughts to form any kind of answer, and Kakashi seemed to realize this. He carefully guided her firmly yet gently by the shoulder into the tree line, where they would be at least a little dryer than standing out in an open field with an outright deluge. She found it incredible that she hadn't realized the freezing downpour she had been standing in.

Once in the trees, Kakashi left Rin to her own devices, though gave her a sidelong glance as he moved away, something one might interpret as worry or concern… though with Kakashi, just about everything was open to interpretation. Unconsciously, without thinking, Rin read into the look: he was concerned about what had happened, and how it was affecting her; he was wondering if sensei would be back anytime soon; he was wondering what they would have for dinner, since sensei had the backpack with all the food. Rin sometimes hated it that he could take all those thoughts and put it into a single glance. What she sometimes hated more, was that she understood him so well.

All she wanted to do was not think. Not remember. To stop replaying it over and over, an infinite loop, in her mind.

As seemed to be the usual, Rin did not get what she wanted.

… Obito, at the last possible instant, heaved Kakashi up and threw him out of the path of the huge boulder that was falling just over their heads. The cave fully collapsed spectacularly.

Rin hit her head as she pitched forward from the shockwave of so many tons of rock impacting the ground, and was dazed for several seconds.

"Are… you ok…? Rin… Kakashi…"

That was Obito… but why was his voice so pain-wracked and strained?

Rin turned to look behind her the same time as Kakashi.

Obito lay half crushed by the cave-in, his right side completely buried by boulders and rubble.

"Obito!"

Kakashi rushed to where Obito was, and started to strain to lift the massive rock off him.

He made little progress.

"Shit!" Kakashi swore, frustration clear, for once, in his voice.

"That's enough… it's ok… Kakashi. It's looks like it's over… for me… the right side of my body is almost smashed… there's no feeling in it…" He said in his now-hacking voice. Kakashi gave up his impossible task of freeing Obito.

Rin was in shock; Obito was dying… no, he was dead; it just wasn't official yet…

Obito coughed up blood, and Kakashi slammed his fist into the ground, swearing.

"From the beginning, if I'd gone along with what you said and went with you to rescue Rin… something like this wouldn't have happened!"

Rin could feel his anger rising, but for once it wasn't directed at Obito; it was directed at himself.

"What kind of commander…! What kind of Jounin…!"

Rin watched, her mind near numb: Obito was dying, and Kakashi was finally breaking.

"Hey… no… forget it…" Obito said, grinning slightly.

Rin couldn't figure out why Obito was suddenly grinning.

"I'm… the only one… who… didn't give you… a present at your… Jounin celebration, right… Kakashi…" Obito said, obviously having trouble not only speaking, but gathering his thoughts.

Kakashi looked at him with his usual expressionless face, unable to reply.

"I… was thinking… what would be good… and now, I've got it… Don't worry, it's… not useless baggage… it's… this Sharingan of mine…"

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Kakashi knew Rin well enough to recognize when she fell asleep. Though she'd had her eyes closed for a long time, she hadn't been asleep. Maybe trying to act it, but he knew better. Glancing around, forever paranoid, Kakashi dropped down from the tree he was using as a makeshift bed. Silently, Kakashi moved along the mostly bare ground to stand in front of Rin.

She was shifting a lot, and her face was troubled. Even troubled, she inspired a kind of peacefulness… For Kakashi, at least. He didn't know about anyone else.

…to think I was going to leave her… Trash, indeed. Kakashi contemplated scathingly. He felt his self-loathing rise another notch.

At least Obito left me his last wish… Obito's last words to him replayed in Kakashi's mind: Kakashi… take care… of Rin…

He closed his visible eye, and nodded slightly to himself.

I won't fail.