-1Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Mishimoto does.

Ch. 10

It had been a month since her return, and nothing seemed to strange. The now reunited couple found that everyone accepted of their relationship, some even confessing that, like Genma, they suspected something, but never thought about bringing it up. They didn't have to worry about words being spoken behind their backs or snide glares. Only warm smiles and the occasional tease by their ninja elite friends.

"Hmm… so what have the two love birds been up to lately?" asked Genma at their table in the village pub. The others, Gai, Anko, Kurenai, Asuma, Gekko, and a few others, rose their brows at the two sitting aside another, all wearing grins. Atsuka merely sipped at her cup of green tea, while Kakashi gave them all a blank stare.

But as Atsuka set down her cup, she closed her eyes and responded.

"Nothing much," she told them, but her tone didn't portray much innocence. This retrieved some moans from the group, but a crease in Kakashi's eye. They had been trying to get something out of the two about their love life, mostly Genma and Anko, but they never budged.

"Fine!" Genma retorted as he slouched in his seat and drained another sake. "Don't tell us…"

"Alright… I won't," she answered smugly, taking another sip of her tea.

"But I bet you guys poke every night!" This made Atsuka choke on her tea and give some violent coughs. Kakashi patted her hard enough to help her not die, and gave a hopeless look to Genma. "What!"

"Shut the hell up, Shiranui!" Atsuka yelled through some more coughs as Kakashi gave her another pat on her back. The rest only chuckled softly. It seemed this happened every time Genma was around. He knew just the things to get Atsuka boiling.

"You know that offer I made to you that day Atsuka came back a month ago, Genma?" Kakashi told with a little glint in his eyes, and Atsuka smirked through another cough. Genma gave a nervous laugh, and remained silent as the other elites took off with conversation, that, luckily for the couple, didn't involve them and their personal life.

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It was March now. Spring was rolling fresh onto Konoha, the wild flowers and soft showers of rain blanketed the village in rich aromas. The days were beginning to steadily grow longer, but the air was still cool and crisp. The small clearing wasn't yet cast in the morning light as dusk was still at hand. The sky was dull with dappled clouds as rain was threatening the lands once again. And yet, she always thought that the crack of dawn was the best time to train. Although most people were still asleep at five thirty in the morning, Atsuka was up and going since two years ago when she had started her recovery with Kakashi. It had become a habit to bed early enough for at least six hours of sleep, and wake up when the sun was still down. Besides, she always had the weekends to sleep in.

"I thought I'd find you here."

She turned her head from where she stood in the center of the clearing to the unexpected voice she heard.

"You're up awfully early. Why's that, Kakashi?"

His visible eye creased in a smile as he started to walk over. Atsuka watched as she turned her self fully about, noticing how he had his hands behind his back.

"Well, today is your day… I thought I wake up a bit earlier… thought you might like that."

"Hmm… what do you have behind you back?" she asked with a grin. He stopped a few feet before her, and the two locked eyes. When she was about to break the silence, he pulled an arm about, as if he could read her mind, and revealed a small white box. With a few blinks at it, she rose a questioning brow. It was long a slender, and her first thoughts went to those fancy hair sticks she saw in town and had secretly wanted. But when he handed it over saying 'happy birthday', and she opened the little hinged lid, her eyes lit up and a smile crept over her lips.

"Oh, wow! It's beautiful!" She wasn't much of a 'girly-girl' to begin with, she thought as her eyes scanned over a silver kunai sitting gently amongst silver blue silk. The usual white tape wrapped about the handle of the blade was similar to the colour of the box's lining, as well as a tassel that was tied to the ring at the bottom of the blade. There was kanji etched in silver white, running down one side of the blade that read 'Winter's Breath', and that made her lift her head with a cocked brow. "What's that mean?"

"Hmm… well, this is no ordinary kunai… Made from pure silver. It's said to have been passed down by an ancient clan of ninja who lived north, where it was always snowing. They say it's special, that it wields the powers of that clan."

Atsuka ran a finger over the cool, precious metal with a look of awe in her eyes. "I love it," she almost whispered, then snapped the box shut. The two jounins locked eyes once again for a moment, but then Atsuka rolled onto her heels and grinned like a young child. "Train with me?"

"Alright," he agreed with a bob of his shoulders, and the two were off as the sun was illuminating the horizon in a myriad of gold's.

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"I've a mission coming up soon…"

"ANBU?"

"Yeah… A Class… but something that could turn higher… something really important…"

"Who does it evolve?"

"Some powerful elite nins from wind country I guess…"

"When will you be back?"

"I'm not sure… a month… two… a year… Ibiki doesn't know. We're supposed to be gathering information. The Hokage fears they might be on Fire's boarder. There have been complaints that a group have been reeking havoc. Sand nin's confirmed that they are a group of missing nins that turned against their village. Their search stopped once the group made their way into Fire, and the Scouting Sand informed the Third Hokage."

"And this is where you come in?"

She tilted her head so she could look at him, the two currently sitting together, Kakashi against a tree, Atsuka against him. Their training lasted well into the morning, and took to rest when the sun behind the graying clouds told them it was around nine.

"Yeah… Worried?"

"Hmm… no, not really." But, of course he was. She knew it. It was the same way every time she had an ANBU mission.

"Right. Well, I leave in a few days."

"Good," he responded, snuggling his head into her neck and shoulder, arms about her waist squeezing tighter, making her smile and bring a hand up to run through his silver mane. "I still have you for a while then," he spoke voice muffled, into her neck.

"Yeah," she answered with a warm laugh, pleased that little moment like this meant so much.

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It wasn't meant to end this way…

This wasn't supposed to happen…

I shouldn't have gotten this…

It doesn't belong to me…

Why did you have to go?

Go somewhere that I cannot follow?

I know I shouldn't say this…

But it isn't fair…

It just isn't fair…

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"Kakashi?"

"Hmm? Oh, hello Genma…"

"You… well… okay?"

"Yeah… I'm okay…"

"Hmm…" Genma's eyes looked down at his friend who continuously stroked the black stone with the many name's of fallen ninja carved painfully into it. Crouching along side the grieving copy-nin, is caramel eyes traveled over to the name now revealed, yet he knew whose it was from the very day it was carved into some month past.

Tsukatu Atsuka

"I'm sorry again, Hatake… I just… can't believe she's gone," he whispered, fighting the sting in his eyes just as he had been the past few weeks. Looking over, he could see something in Kakashi's other hand. A cat like, red marked ANBU mask. Her mask. When the team returned, they had given it to Kakashi. At first, he didn't believe them. He didn't think it was possible. He didn't want to think it was possible.

It was November when she passed away… Ironic… She had survived the last time, but luck wasn't with her those few weeks ago.

"It's okay, Shiranui… Don't worry. She's probably happy… hmm… Wouldn't want us to mope around like this," he mumbled, but couldn't help a soft chuckle at his words and sounds sounding cliché, but, also, their truth.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sure as hell going to miss those hazel eyes. Always bright even when she was upset… Do you mind me asking… how long you two were… well… together?"

"…When we met one day on a mission briefing, I didn't think much of her… But during that mission… she proved herself strong… She was so cold that day, I thought her veins ran with ice… But was so warm on the outside… I thought surely she was an angel… I had only been twenty then, and she nineteen… But… it felt like… felt like I knew her more than anyone else ever had… She told me things that I would imagine she'd ever speak to anyone… I told her things I'd never tell to anyone… Our dreams… our secrets… our fears… But now… I'm not sure what I'll do now…" He trailed away after that, his voice becoming softer as he reminisced. Genma was surprised that he spoke of such things and kept a more or less placid façade. Placing a comforting hand on his heart wrenched friend's arm, he gave it a gentle pat and smiled.

"That's what you have me for, Kakashi! I know she's gone, but like you said, she 'wouldn't want us to mope'!"

It was different when Genma said those words. Kakashi wanted to deck him one, to break this stone before him and find her. Look for her and see if she was alive. A little part of him thought, wished that she was still out there, waiting for him to find her. But it wasn't true… it wouldn't happen. She was gone, and there was nothing he could do to bring her back. All he could do was to accept her death and move on with life with his fond memories of their time together.

"Thank's, Genma… Don't know what I'd do without you," he told his grinning friend with a smile creased eye.

"You'd rot away; that's what! Come on, I'll buy you a drink!"

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He had place her mask gently in a chest filled with other items of memories from his life, stowed with care in his closet. It felt like he was locking memories of her away as he turned the little key and placed it in his pocket once more.

No… those will be locked in my mind forever… in my heart…

He then thought that, he was possibly locking away his fear. The loss and the pain it brought was all locked away in that chest. That mask. ANBU was the thing that had almost taken her life three year ago, but had finally succeeded; he knew it would someday. She had known his fear, but never was persuaded to stay, always going in the end. It wasn't that she wasn't capable… That she wasn't strong enough, smart enough. She was only human… she had her flaws and made mistakes, which, unfortunately, along with the saying 'things happen', was her downfall.

It was said a well place kunai brought her down. Right through her neck. The enemy was so close as they fought toe to toe, she had had little time to react when rendering hand signs to a jutsu that could have saved her life. Yet, it was just that. Things do happen, and he was finally accepting that once again as he had done with his father and Obito and Rin and all of the people who he had called friends.

With a deep sigh, the famous copy-nin gently closed the door of his closet and turned to the little white box at his night stand, lid flipped open, and the morning light gleaming off the metal blade like a mirror for the heavens. He wasn't sure why he didn't put the kunai away with her mask, but he felt that it reminded him of her in some, strange way. It was as if she was Winter's Breath, or perhaps a servant to it, and they finally called her back, needing her assistance once again.

She is now a distant vertigo. One I'll never be able to match.

"I'll sure as hell miss those hazel eyes too, Genma."

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The End

Notes: Well, that was my first Naruto Fanfic… I must say, it was fun. It wasn't something really serious… I just wanted to write and did.

I killed off my OC… cuz I wanted to stay true to the Original story line… with Kakashi getting Team seven and what not… so I killed her. What do you think? Was it a good idea? Was the story good? I hope you guys liked it… I plan to do another Naruto after I read more manga… I wanna do a KakaSaku…. I'm like crazy about that pairing… well, peace.