Chapter 11

Looking over her shoulder, Rin grinned as she watched Itoshi prop her healing ankle up on a nearby stool.

"Keep your leg elevated and ice that ankle for the next twenty-four hours," she said, turning back around to put away her medical supplies. "Both should reduce any swelling that may occur. And try to keep off it."

"Yes, ma'am!" Itoshi chimed appreciatively as she readjusted her sitting position to get comfortable.

When Rin had finished cleaning up and turned back to face her, Itoshi rewarded her with the flashy smile that was so much like her brother Obito.

"You know I'll repay you in whatever means I can," Itoshi offered without hesitation. "As soon as I get better, of course."

At that, Rin's smile faded and the good cheer she radiated left her.

"I want to ask for you to return the favor now."

Caught off guard, Itoshi did a double-take.

"Rin?" She leaned forward slightly, suddenly alert. "What is it?"

"Kakashi was definitely here."

The Uchiha girl froze at the certainty in the medic's voice.

"Did...did he say anything to you?" Rin asked softly. Though the rest of her face remained stoic, her eyes betrayed the turmoil hidden deep in her heart.

Itoshi's black eyes became wide. She slowly shook her head.

"Why did he leave when he knew I was here?"

Itoshi leaned back against her chair again.

"Rin, I'm not really sure exactly why he came here in the first place."

"Eh?"

"He just came here on his own. I didn't even know he was back until just around half an hour ago when I finished training with Itachi-kun." She paused. "I asked if he had seen you yet, and he admitted that he had spent the night."

Rin stiffened.

"Don't worry." Itoshi hurriedly tried to reassure her. "He said it wasn't like that."

"Like what?"

"He said you were angry."

At that, Rin's posture became bowed, as if a heavy burden had suddenly been dumped on her.

Itoshi continued hesitantly. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to break Kakashi's confidence.

"I was going off about ANBU, but he cut me off, saying that he wasn't concerned about ANBU as much as he was worried about you."

Rin looked away, her hands clenching the sides of her medic apron.

Itoshi frowned.

"Rin?"

To her utter surprise, when Rin looked back at Itoshi, her usual serene face had crumbled.

"I've loved him all my life, Itoshi!" Rin choked. "But now I'm terrified that he loves me back! What is wrong with me?"

Embarrassed at her outburst, the normally calm kunoichi fled from the room.

To Itoshi's dismay, when she heard the front gate crash, she knew Rin had left the residence. Instinctively, she tried to get up and go after her, but then scowled when she remembered that her leg was immobilized, thanks to her ankle. She fell back against her chair, exasperated, and tried to console herself by staring out the window Kakashi had left open.

Kakashi had never been to Jiraiya's house before. In fact, he never stopped to wonder if the man even hada homeinside Konoha. Kakashi didn't think Jiraiya stayed in the village long enough to make it worthwhile - until the man dragged him into his rather spacious residence.

But before Kakashi was able to recover from his shock at actually being in the Sannin's abode, Jiraiya dumped him unceremoniously into a large cushy chair in the parlor. The Toad Sannin himself sat on the matching couch ensemble across from the young man, watching him stonily, his arms folded across his ample chest. Kakashi had never seen him so angry.

"What are you trying to hide here, boy?"

Kakashi returned Jiraiya's glare with a cool, blank stare. "Hide?"

"Rin bumped into me on her way over to Obito's house. I saw you running away from that same house right when she was let in." The legendary frog summoner's voice was firm and lacking its common amused tone. "Do I seriously need to explain this to you?"

Thoroughly irritated, Kakashi leaned forward, rested his arms on his thighs and looked away. He busied himself with examining the eclectic décor that characterized the older man's house. His eye roamed the various pieces that told of the Sannin's adventurous journeys, but could find no interest in those untold stories. Instead, his gaze resting on a row of dusty framed pictures that sat on a large nearby hutch.

Most of the images were of Jiraiya's circle of friends and associates, but one photograph stood out in particular.

A yukata and kimono-clad Obito and Rin were hugging each other playfully, with young Kakashi standing to the side, also in a traditional yukata, awkwardly holding a paper lantern. He looked every bit as annoyed as he used to be at that age. Their Sensei was squatting between Kakashi and the other two; he was always the bridge between them.

Jiraiya had taken that picture at the autumn festival celebrations, and since it was a rare occasion to see his former student participating in a recreational activity with his genin-chuunin cell, he took the opportunity to capture it on film.

They were all about ten years old then, fresh, cheeky, and full of self-confidence.

Kakashi felt a twinge of guilt and the nagging feeling of self-doubt. He averted his gaze and looked down at his sandaled feet.

Jiraiya noticed the change in his demeanor - the longing in Kakashi's gaze and the graveness in his countenance was usually not found in one so young.

"Kakashi?" Not wanting to have his charge withdraw into himself, Jiraiya kept his voice low.

Kakashi didn't respond, only lowered his eyelid. The photo showed him everything that he believed was wrong with how he felt about Rin. Everything in that wooden frame showed just how distant he was from the girl he supposedly loved.

"Rin said that you stayed with her last night, but now it looks like you're avoiding her," Jiraiya prompted slowly. "What happened?"

"Rin is Obito's girl, not mine."

Jiraiya's brow creased, not understanding the suddenness or the randomness of that statement.

But before Jiraiya could comment, he stiffened, almost making it to a standing position before his front door burst open. When it swung free, it revealed an out-of-breath, flustered Rin who seemed to be at her wit's end.

"Jiraiya-oji! I need your help -- "

As if she had run into a concrete wall, Rin balked and moved backwards. She almost fell over herself when she saw Kakashi's tense, startled body sitting there in Jiraiya's parlor, gripping his knees so tightly his knuckles were white. The two of them stared at each other in bewildered silence. The room was quiet except for Rin's labored breathing and the clock on the mantle piece behind Jiraiya, ticking steadily away.

Kakashi abruptly stood up and in a few short strides, closed the distance between them.

"Let me take you home."

The kunoichi looked up at him in surprise, but offered no resistance, her body moving of it's own accord. Both she and Kakashi acknowledged Jiraiya before closing the door behind them, leaving the older man frowning in their wake.

"So yeah," Genma said finally, watching his audience stare at him unbelievingly, "he's back in Konoha."

"How come he hasn't come to see us?" Anko exclaimed, standing with her hands on her hips outside the dango shop. Everyone in their group now gathered there upon hearing the rumor that Kakashi was back in town. "The nerve of that guy!"

"Like he wants to see you anyway," Aoba snorted, ducking as he knew what Anko's response would be.

Genma laughed a little. "What did you expect? This is Kakashi, remember?"

No one said anything to that. The crowd finally broke up, but as Asuma walked away, he couldn't help but survey Konoha's rooftops once more before tossing his dying cigarette away.

Somehow, on the walk back to the apartment, Rin and Kakashi had managed to avoid running into anyone they knew.

The stroll was uneventful. They walked side by side, yet said nothing the entire way. Both were lost in their own thoughts. It wasn't really awkward to Rin. In actuality, it had always been this way between them. Yet lately she was overwrought with worry.

Rin felt that now, times had changed. Her love for Kakashi didn't change, but the circumstances certainly have. Now that Kakashi had started to trust and care for her, Rin was starting to understand why Kakashi had been distant in the past. Shinobi life was easier without the complications that come with relationships. The consequences of any distractions were often deadly. So after all these years, even though she loved him, the door to his heart had been closed. She didn't have to see what was on the other side of that door. She assumed that Kakashi had already determined his future in the shinobi ranks of Konoha and that door would remain shut forever.

Rin never imagined that Kakashi would ever be interested in her. She had always admired him from afar. It never crossed her mind that she would ever find herself needing him that way; Obito in the past was the one she had trusted.

But of course, Obito was gone and now she wanted Kakashi to fill that hole for her. Only she never expected him to reciprocate willingly. ANBU and the shinobi life always kept the times spent with Kakashi at a cool distance. She had accepted it unquestioningly.

She feared that sooner or later, he would have to choose. Kakashi had promised Obito he would take care of her, but Kakashi's allegiences were with Konoha. Though Rin didn't fault Kakashi for putting the Kanabi Bridge mission above rescuingher, she didn't want to put him in that position again.

Losing Obito was hard enough.

So when they finally reached Rin's apartment door, she hesitated.

Kakashi…

As if he read her mind, he came up behind her, close enough to feel his body heat on her back. He reached out to her hand resting on the doorknob, and the warmth of his hand was almost like a shock of electricity through her body.

But the door to her apartment opened, and the contact was broken. By the time she had peeled off her sandals, Kakashi had walked over to her old sofa and sat down on it's edge, carefully laying his outer coat over the back of the sofa. Rin went over to her kitchen and brought him a glass of water.

Kakashi gratefully accepted the glass she offered and waited for her to sit down. But Rin didn't move to sit.

"If you need to say something to me, Kakashi…"

Rin's voice faltered as her eyes fell to her companion's face. In taking a sip of the water, he had pulled down his mask, and it occurred to her that it had been the first time she'd seen him this clearly in nearly three years. There was no cover of night, no mask to obstruct their view of each other.

During the span that he was away, Rin had laid in bed at night thinking about what he looked like. Was he taller? Did he finally put on some weight?

And then as she drank in the sight of the beautiful young man in front of her, Rin realized that though physically he had changed little, mentally and emotionally he had matured. It was then that she saw Kakashi turn his eyes away and was taken aback when she saw him flustered for the first time.

Kakashi's hands shook nervously as he tried to steady his water glass. Gingerly, he placed it onto the worn coffee table in front of him.

How can Rin make me feel so exposed?

If looking at her made him uneasy, Kakashi was at a complete loss when Rin finally sat down next to him.

Just last night, I lay next to her, feeling every inch of her warm body without feeling this timid. Until…

His mind brought back the memory of that very morning. The sun had yet to rise, and he woke up in the dark out of habit. When he had opened his eyes to see Rin sleeping peacefully next to him with almost all of their limbs wrapped up in each other, Kakashi felt an intense, fluttery sensation in the core of his being.

He had never felt so frightened of anything in his life until that very moment – this morning, under Rin's sheets, looking at her serene, kind face.

That's when he hurriedly dressed, left her place, and took refuge at the Shinobi memorial.

Did you feel like this around Rin, Obito? Was this why you were usually so silly and awkward around her?

Ah, now, after all these years, I finally understand.

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

The silver-haired jounin blinked and turned to face Rin, whose expression was blank, but eyes were troubled.

"I'm sorry," Kakashi said quietly.

Rin continued, as if she hadn't heard his apology. "If you don't think it's wise for us to be…so close…"

Kakashi frowned at her directness.

"That's not what I think at all."

It was Rin's turn to grimace. "But that's how you've been acting for the last three years."

Whatever Kakashi was going to say next, he bit back. He felt that Rin should have had more faith in him, that the bracelet he had painstakingly carved out of wood had meant something.

"Why can't you just say it?" Rin exclaimed suddenly.

He turned to her slightly. "Say what?"

"Just admit that you don't want to have anything to do with me. You want to be the best shinobi Konoha can offer, and the best shinobi don't feel anything."

Kakashi pursed his lips.

Do I still give this impression to people?

Rin began to pace in front of him, as if doing so would help sort out her own thoughts.

Why is this so difficult? He's never loved me before, so why can't I just let him go?

"I'm just an average shinobi – a good medic-nin – but barely average as a fighting shinobi. So it doesn't matter to me if I have these stupid feelings and emotions. But you – you're one of the best Konoha's got to offer. I'll only be holding you back if I – "

"If you what, Rin?" Kakashi interrupted, standing up. "If you tell me that you love me?"

At that, Rin had stopped pacing and Kakashi snatched the opportunity to grab her wrist. Out of instinct, Rin wrenched her arm back, only Kakashi didn't let go. His weight dragged the two down onto the floor, and they scrambled around each other, with Rin trying to keep her other arm away and free and Kakashi twisting to keep up.

Suddenly, Rin's legs found leverage on the floor and she managed to force the lower half of her body out from underneath Kakashi's legs. Years of gymnastics training had given her very strong muscles and Kakashi had forgotten how deceivingly powerful they were. They grappled like wrestlers, rolling around on her apartment floor, both holding their own.

The scuffle went on for a bit, but in the end, Kakashi found himself on top of Rin. He sensed that the battle of wills was finally winding down. With her arms pinned beneath him, he found his face was pressed between her cheek and her shoulder, and Rin became aware of the warmth of his breath and the caress of his lips on the crease of her neck. His touch traveled up the length of her throat, then up to her chin until finally his mouth met hers.

The kiss melted most of Rin's defenses, but a part of her still resisted. When she pulled away, she spoke breathlessly, replying to the question that Kakashi had left up in the air before they had engaged in their little fight.

"No, Kakashi," she said, looking into his eyes. Somehow during the grappling, his hitae-ate had fallen off. "I've loved you for years."

Rin noticed that Kakashi's eyes suddenly had that look of recognition, that sudden realization of what she had meant to say.

"Hatake-san!"

Incessant knocking startled the two. Kakashi wordlessly released Rin from his grip as she stood up and went over to answer her door, but not without looking at each other meaningfully. Rin noticed his normally pale face was now flushed, with his odd-colored eyes peering through the silver fringes of his hair. The moment passed, however, and the obnoxious knocking returned.

"Hatake-san! Your presence is requested at the Hokage Tower immediately!"

Rin pursed her lips as she adjusted the state of her clothing. She saw Kakashi reach for his hitae-ate out of the corner of her eye. When she saw that he had grabbed his cloak, she opened the door.

"How may I help you?"

Two ANBU stared at her inscrutably through their masks. The one with a feline facade spoke up.

"We were told Hatake Kakashi would be here," he said shortlywithout preamble.

"I am." Kakashi had stood close in behind Rin at the doorframe. Any lingering traces of their previous conversation were no longer apparent on his face.

At the awareness of his presence, the manner of the two ANBU immediately changed.

"Hatake-senpai, we apologize for the short notice." The feline mask bowed. "We were told to look for you here if you were not at your residence."

Rin scowled. Who had said that?

Kakashi cleared his throat. "Hokage-sama wants to see me right away, you said?"

The other ANBU in a bird mask finally spoke.

"Yes, and we're here to personally escort you there."

Turning to look at Rin, Kakashi's eye offered a mute apology.

The ANBU, regaining their sensibilities, keenly felt their intrusion and silently pulled away to leave the two alone. They waited patiently at the entrance to the building downstairs.

"Rin…"

Only Rin didn't say anything. She was looking in the direction of where the two ANBU had gone.

He dared to reach out to gently bring her face over to look at him. His fingers caressed her cheek as Rin closed her eyes, desperately wanting the moment to last.

When she felt his gloved hand leave her face, Rin did not have to open her eyes to know that he was already gone.

"You look great," Shizune commented sincerely when she arrived at Rin's door, giving Rin the once-over.

In actuality, it felt odd to Shizune to see Rin wearing anything but her usual hospital robe and apron. She thought that Rin in tan capris and a simple light blue sweater blouse brought out her feminine qualities normally hidden underneath her usual medic wear.

When they walked into Rin's room, they fussed over their appearances in her floor-length mirror.

"I don't know, Shizune," Rin muttered as she stared at herself,her uncertainty clearly evident her voice.

"Come on!" Shizune laughed it off, applying lip gloss as she spoke. "It's just the usual gang. It'll be fun."

Rin looked on dubiously while she put on her coat. "You know what I mean."

Shizune didn't have to be told twice. She walked up until she stood between Rin and the mirror, placing her hands on Rin's shoulders.

"Rin, Kakashi isn't here. He left a few days ago again on another mission, right?"

Rin nodded mutely.

"You agreed to go with Seiichi-san a long time ago. He's just a friend, right? Go and have a good time. It's just a party."

Technically, Rin didn't know whether Kakashi was on a mission or not. She hadn't seen him since he left with the ANBU messengers over a week ago.

He comes and goes as he pleases. Maybe I should to.

"You're right."

Shizune straightened up, surprised. She'd been prepared for another round of convincing.

Rin turned and gave herself one last look in the mirror.

I don't look so bad. Shizune's right. A night out would be a good thing.

She grinned.

Trotting down the main road that led to Rin's apartment, Kakashi hastily jumped three steps at a time up to her floor and knocked on her door.

There was no answer.

He cursed, angry with himself. Kakashi had meant to leave word for Rin about his plans, but there was someone superior to him commanding the quick mission. The commander ordered everyone out as soon as they had left the briefing room at ANBU headquarters. Kakashi's attempt at trying to explain that he had just started his monthly leave fell on deaf ears.

Making his way back to the road, the jounin wandered back to his apartment, changed to something warmer, then headed over to the open market. The bustling over wares never ceased to bore him there. He walked by the stalls absently, his mind obviously elsewhere, until he heard two familiar bickering voices in the next stall.

"I told you 2 cases wouldn't be enough." Anko's raspy voice was unmistakable. "Don't you know how Ibiki drinks?"

"Nobody asked you," Genma's low voice retorted. "Anyway, you're the one who said 2 bags of chips would be enough."

"Pssh."

"The party's only been going on for about an hour. I forgot how much we all eat."

"It's mostly Aoba and Raidou, man. They're like horses."

"More like pigs…"

Keeping a safe distance between himself and the other two, Kakashi followed them unnoticed as they left the market and walked back presumably to where the party was held. Luckily for Kakashi, the Friday night crowd aided in his concealment to the point where he could walk casually behind his acquaintances, keeping only three or so people between them.

"So when did Shizune say she was gonna come?" Anko asked as she adjusted the weight of the items in the bags she carried. "She was just gonna pick up Rin, right?'

The mention of Rin's name caught Kakashi's immediate attention. He strained his ears to hear Genma's response.

"Yeah, Rin was going to get Seiichi-kun and they'd all come to Asuma's together. I was supposed to meet them there."

Kakashi tensed. Seiichi-kun?

"Frankly, I'm surprised that Rin's even going, much less bringing somebody. And I thought Kakashi was supposed to be back in Konoha. I still haven't seen him. Why isn't she bringing him?"

"Rin said he left for a mission right when he got back and hasn't seen him since. Besides, Rin agreed to go with Seiichi-kun way before Kakashi showed up anyway."

"Makes you think Rin's finally figuring that there's more eligible guys than just Hatake Kakashi in this village."

The two finally turned off into a side street and made their way into Asuma's place, prompting Kakashi to check his pace. The sounds of music and laughter poured out of the door as Genma and Anko slowly made their way up the steps.

Kakashi stared at them as they walked inside. Treading carefully to the alley that led behind the rowhouses, Kakashi leaned against the wall and closed his eyes for a moment. By the time he picked up the faint scent of cigarette smoke in the background, he didn't need to open his eye to know who was standing nearby.

"I hope you're not standing here because you think my party will suck."

Compelled now to open his eye, Kakashi regarded Asuma silently for a minute before stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"I didn't know I was invited."

Asuma came out of the shadows, flicking the ashes from his cigarette.

"Whatever gave you that idea? You're the one who made yourself unavailable."

Kakashi shrugged, his body still glued to the wall behind him. Asuma resumed smoking.

The two stood quietly in the semi-darkness, Asuma curious, Kakashi hyperalert. When Asuma finally tossed his dying cigarette behind him, he motioned to the rear door of his apartment.

"If you use the back way, it'll be easier to come in unnoticed."

Not waiting for Kakashi to respond, Asuma promptly turned and went up the steps to the door. He pulled it open smoothly and walked inside without hesitation, knowing without looking back that Kakashi had followed him in.

When the door shut behind them, the short hallway leading to the blacklight lit living room became dark.

"Make yourself at home," Asuma said sincerely before leaving him in the hallway. He kept his voice just above the crowd in the next room, and it was then that Kakashi realized the volume of the music.

The songs themselves were from earlier days, deliberately picked so that they could be played at a volume that wouldn't risk angering the neighbors, but loud enough to keep the conversations in the living room lively and animated. The beat stayed in time with the steady flash of the strobe light.

Easing himself into the room, Kakashi noticed the empty stools over by the kitchen bar and made a hasty beeline for one of them. He hadn't sat down but one minute before someone noticed him.

"KAKASHI! My Eternal Rival! The one who I have aspired to defeat has finally returned!"

Kakashi cringed.

"It's about time you stopped ignoring us," Raidou quipped as he ambled over and sat next to them, offering Kakashi a drink.

Taking a sip gratefully, Kakashi glanced at Raidou wordlessly. He hadn't seen him in a while, and could see that the young man had a large scar running across the middle of his face. It made Kakashi feel a bit ashamed of wearing his mask, since he had no such scars, and here Raidou was, unabashed and conversing normally.

Kakashi looked across the room to see Kurenai speaking to a worried-looking Asuma without taking her eyes off his face. Genma dragged Anko away from the door towards the punch bowl, while she looked on, gaping. Aoba and Ibiki stared at him from the couch for a time before coming over to greet him.

It took about five minutes before the conversation of the room turned elsewhere, and he relaxed his tense shoulders, even listening in on Gai rehashing one of his most incredible moments. Thankfully, Gai's exuberance drew the attention of most of his friends.

And just as he felt that the majority of attention hadleft him, a feeling drew Kakashi's eye to the door.

Raidou whistled. "Well, well - look who's here."

Rin came in slowly, looking around for familiar faces. Since Kakashi was sitting all the way in the back of the room and surrounded by his peers, Rin didn't seem to see him. Instead, she turned around and smiled warmly, and the face of the boy he thought had died years ago stood only mere feet away, escorting her into the room with his arm comfortably around her shoulder.

Kakashi's heart stopped, his mind flashing back to the conversation he had overheard between Kurenai and Asuma a few weeks before.

"There is this young man who works at the hospital who is almost the spitting image of Obito."

"You're kidding, right?"

"No, I'm not! The resemblance is very striking! Well, at least in the face, I mean. He wears his hair differently, I think. But his features are like the Uchihas, though he's not from the clan or anything. He's very nice, and out of all the boys who are after her, he's the only one that she's friends with."

The conversation about the identity of this boy hadn't clicked with him until now.

Even though Kakashi hadn't done anything in reaction to seeing Rin with her companion, it seemed an automatic response when Gai put his hand on his shoulder. No one else noticed as they looked on.

"She still loves you, Kakashi," Gai said, uncharacteristically solemn. "Don't give up on her."

Then the group slowly left, leaving Kakashi to watch and brood.

Asuma had come to play the host and took Rin and her date's coats. She started to look around again, and immediately, Kakashi quickly swiveled his bar stool around and drew up the hood of his dark blue sweatshirt.

"Kakashi?"

Shizune looked at him as if he were a ghost. The hand that had reached for a new plastic cup hung precariously over the counter.

Genma also came over, sounding less than amused. "You sure picked the right day and time to show up."

Shizune shot Genma a withering glance before attempting to do damage control. She brought her face level with Kakashi's.

"It's a party, Kakashi." She straightened her back and before Genma led her away, added a final thought. "She can be with whomever she likes. Just remember that."

Gravely, he watched Shizune and Genma walk away to join the others. He wanted to be part of the group and end the self-imposed cycle of isolation he had placed upon himself, but he felt strange being around people. He didn't even know where to begin.

"Ah, Kakashi! What are you doing just sitting here?"

Even with the loud chatter, Kakashi had no trouble picking out the voice.

"Itoshi-senpai…"

The girl peered at him over the rim of her cup with her shiny black eyes.

"You realize I'm not your senpai anymore, Kakashi-kun." She flashed him a wink and a conspiratorial grin. "I'm your date!"

Kakashi turned on Itoshi in surprise.

"Your date?"

She finished her drink but her grin only became wider. She knew it was hard to unnerve Kakashi.

"Why, what's the matter?" she teased playfully. "You too good for me? My ankle's all better now thanks to Rin-chan. So I can dance like the rest of them."

When Kakashi merely continued to stare at her, Itoshi sighed, faintly irritated.

"Geez, you really are dense when it comes to this sort of thing!" She replaced her cup on the counter next to him. "You're here to have a good time, Kakashi." Itoshi moved her eyes pointedly across the room. "Just likethey certainly are."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he responded flatly, yet his eye had followed Itoshi's and were fixed on the couple at the opposite end of the room. Kakashi kept blinking to make sure his eye wasn't playing tricks on him. He knew it wasn't Obito, but this softer version of him was still confusing.

Kakashi cursed his ignoranceof the lack of understanding of his dead friend.In his memory, Obito was a sturdy teenager, with ruddy cheeks, unruly hair, and an open face full of expression, usually of mischief – not this quiet, handsome, slight boy who combed his short hair neatly to the side. He tried to picture Obito this way, but all he could think of was his propensity for lateness, his bluntness, and his clowning.

Despite his memories of a clumsy teammate, Kakashi was unable to stop himself from staring.

Seiichi and Rin stood in the opposite corner of the room, with Rin laughing gaily at the raven-haired boy's jokes. She leaned into Seiichi while he whispered something in her ear, and then laughed again. They chatted and flirted through the next few dances until a slower song finally began to play. Moving together, they went into the middle of the crowded room full of couples. In a slow, comfortable rhythm, they swayed perfectly as if they had danced a million times before. In an intimate gesture, and to Kakashi's dismay, Rin laid her head against Seiichi's shoulder and curled both arms around his neck.

Itoshi gauged the scene uncomfortably, seeing the genius shinobi before her struggle to maintain his composure. Kakashi returned his now empty glass to the bar counter behind him and calmly made his way to the door. He moved so quickly that Itoshi noticed his absence until she saw his figure almost near the exit. Swearing, she launched herself away from the stool to stop him.

"Kakashi!"

She hadn't meant her voice to be so loud, but it caught the attention of everyone in the room. Kakashi paused and turned around. Through the crowd of slow dancers, his eye finally landed on the light brown ones that he knew so well.

There was a moment of recognition and immediately, his body started to move to get a clearer view, to renew the connection.

But as soon as he established the contact, it was gone again, snatched away by the moving bodies slow dancing in time to the music in thecrowded den, oblivious to his frustrations.

He caught faint glimpses of Rin looking around the many faces in the room, wondering if what she saw was indeed what she thought she saw. Seiichi, noticing Rin's distraction, led her away from the middle of the room and Kakashi lost sight of her again.

"What are you doing just standing here?" Itoshi seemed to appear from nowhere, glaring at him. "She's right on the other side of the room."

Already unnerved at the near miss, the jounin wasn't too enthusiastic with Itoshi's urgings.

"And do what? Cause a scene and embarrass her?" Kakashi threw back the hood of his sweatshirt, suddenly feeling the warmth and stuffiness of the party keenly. "She's obviously having a good time with Seiichi. Why mess that up?"

"Because you won't be messing anything up. He's just her date. This event was planned way before you came back to Konoha. She didn't want to go alone, and they're friends." Itoshi pushed back the hair that fell into her eyes. "Why is this bothering you so much? This is supposed to be a party."

Kakashi made no comment, only turned back around and walked out of the door.

On the other side of the den, Rin felt herself compelled to look up towards the entrance, and when she saw the shock of silver hair, her heartstrings seized. She gripped Seiichi's arm, startling him.

"Rin?" Seiichi gently shook her from her frozen state. "Rin? Rin! What's the matter? Are you alright?"

"Y-y-yes," Rin managed shakily, obviously flustered. She turned to look at him, unsure of how to continue. "Seiichi…"

"It's okay, Rin. You need to leave?"

Rin nodded sadly, feeling slightly torn.

Ah, Kakashi, you just had to come back and see…

"I'll walk you – " he offered, but Rin stopped him.

"No, it's fine, Seiichi-kun. Thank you for taking me tonight." She gave him one of her rare, genuine smiles. "I had a great time. Really, I did."

Seiichi gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you later."

"You sure this is alright with you?" Rin asked timidly, searching his face for any hint of anger.

Seiichi responded by grabbing her in a long hug.

But as much as Rin enjoyed Seiichi and his attentions, she felt that she just had to get out of there.

How much of all that did Kakashi see?

Not that she should have felt guilty about it, but…she did.

By the time she thanked Asuma and found herself in the street looking both ways, Kakashi was nowhere to be found.

Rin squared her shoulders as much as she could in the frosty November air, gripping the edges of her coat tighter.

If it was going to take all night to find this man that flitted in and out of her life, then so be it.

Author's notes:

Being sick with the flu certainly didn't help with the writing...spring semester began and then I caught the flu...so I had to play catch up for most of February and that left me with little time and energy to write.

I want to apologize...again...for the long wait. Your reviews have kept me going! I want to thank everyone who has patiently waited for the updates. Please read and review!