Women share a special bond because as sensitive creatures, they tend to feel for the needy female right next to them and make an effort to help even in the smallest way possible. This is also even in independent, iron-willed women like Mitarashi Anko. No matter how reasonable she was, or how she had been trained to consider logic over emotion, it was the female in her that succumbed to the innate desire to extend a helping hand. And in the present situation, she knew she was more than capable of doing a small favor for Kaiko. She could actually set her free..
However, logic kept drilling at her female brain by warning over and over again that this insane plan of hers would definitely draw disaster. It would take a few minutes for Kakashi to piece things together and have her locked in that cell in place of his fugitive.
But there she was, standing in front of Kaiko's cell, mind fullly resolved, and clenching a pick-lock in her right fist. She wanted to remove her from prison, fully convinced by this strange gut feeling that she doesn't belong there, but it was impossible considering the lack of means to propel her plans. This was her final plan, either she executes this or live with that pang of guilt for the rest of her life. "If you do love him as much," she said to the other person at the door, keeping her voice low but clear at the same time, "leave this place and live a second chance." Before she could change her mind, Anko slid the pick-lock beneath the door and left.

Two out of three fell into his hands without a fight. Kakashi was having trouble with the third one… the one who introduced himself as Kaiko's father.
"I just want to take my daughter home," the chief said, courageously facing the famous (and feared) Copy Ninja after realizing that hiding from him would be useless.
Kakashi looked at him, the kunai frozen in his hand. The man would probably be lying, but no, Kakashi felt something true about this guy. Why else would he be here? For the Lazarus Eye? Impossible. How could he possibly know where the eye is? Unless…
"I don't know who your daughter is." Kakashi said.
"Oh?" The stranger glanced at his two useless escorts and frowned. "Then help us find her. She's here. I know."
"What is her name?"
"Kaiko."
He could be playing him around, making him respond to his pack of lies. Kakashi knew it was safer to keep quiet, but how in the world could he do that?! For some reason, this man before him does seem like Kaiko's father… although he might be decieved by the lack of lighting. Also, his talent for weaving lies – assuming every singe word that rolled off his tounge was a lie – rivaled Kaiko's. If that doesn't make them family, the what does?

Anko strode across the dark streets, controlling the urge to go back and see if Kaiko would really leave as she had advised her to do. Well, she would definitely forget about the Lazarus Eye, right? She's smart enough to know that Kakashi would never hand it over without a fight… and she's smart enough to foresee that should Kakashi put up a fight, she would definitely lose.
"Aaaahhh!!" she cried, trying to stop the mechanisms in her head from moving. Whatever happens, it was her decision to free Kaiko. Whatever she does to chooses to do after that, it's her decision. It's her life.. Anko only wished she would take the better path.
She abruptly stopped in her tracks as crawling chill made its way up her spine. There was something odd about the silence, and Anko identified the feeling as her sixth sense in the battlefield. She quickly hid in the shadows, suddenly realizing where the path to her right is leading to. The monument. The evening breeze became cooler as it blew against her skin.
Tearing her attention off the pathway, she immediately spotted somebody from afar. It could be anyone, she thought, but when a long, narrow, probably well-polished (and sharp) strip of steel gleamed in the faint light, Anko figured that they are under attack.

Unlocking herself was not easy, specially since she was never used to this form of trickery. But she was able to do it anyway, even with her hands shaking in excitement – or perhaps fear? Kaiko didn't know how she would thank Anko for this second chance… and for believing in her… and for being a true friend. She would leave this place, alright, leave and never come back. The rest of her life would be spent in hiding, she knew, but it didn't matter to her.
But leaving would also mean no more Kakashi for her…
Well, it does hurt, not having to see him anymore. But maybe that's the price she had to pay for lying. She should've chosen Kakashi instead of that damn Lazarus Eye. She shouldn't have feared that perverted bandit and his threats, it was obvious he wouldn't stand a chance against her Hatake Kakashi. No, no. He was a bastard. And a weakling. And she shouldn't have allowed him to trick her into stealing the Lazarus Eye. Anyway, that perverted trickster had an agenda of his own. He was going to keep the Lazarus Eye – and whatever fortune it might bring -- to himself. She should've known that bandits are not to be trusted, but no, she didn't see all that. The minute the bastard threatened her, she became an obedient, idiotic accessory and completely abandoned her love for Kakashi, and for Konoha. And what did she get? Nothing. She lost Kakashi, and eventually, Konoha. Once again, she would be a homeless young soul in search for love.

She should'nt have allowed that fortune-teller to direct the path of her life in the first place.

She had been unlocking the door for quite sometime until it finally rewarded her efforts with a click. Yes! Kaiko tried to see if the place is clear, opening the door enough to peek outside. All clear. With a racing heart, she quietly tiptoed her way out, and was surprised that the kind-eyed guard wasn't there.

Well, he was there. When Kaiko was paces away and kind'a decided to look back, she saw the guard sitting somwhere near the entryway, dozing off, with a few cards in one hand. Sighing, she recalled the very first, hillarious card game Mitarashi Anko played against Kakashi.

Even in deep sleep, she could've easily defeated these men… if only they weren't this many! Just after killing those that surrounded her, another set immediately closes her in. Crap. She could do this alone, but one small mistake will mean her end. She should've asked for back-up before making the first attack, but if she did that, the enemies would've made it far. They would've gone beyond their control… and these numbers would definitely be scary when given the upper hand.
Anko struggled. She had ran out of kunai, and was forced to utilize whatever object she would pick up.

The chief knew his men were hiding somewhere, and he knew his ploy was working out. This one-eyed guy knows a lot more that he's willing to tell, and the chief of the Shinrin Bandits wasn't stupid.
"Did Kaiko try to steal the Lazarus Eye?"
Kakashi simply watched him, his mind telling him to throw that blasted kunai and be done with it, his heart begging him not to.
"I begged her not to, but my good-natured daugther simply wanted to help us out."
A groan was supplied in reply. He obviously didn't like his statement. Good.
"She was a good girl, you know. I realized, I have shown her less of the love she deserved."
Yeah right. For all I know, you sent her out to be raped. And be rescued. You made her appear like an injured little bird waiting to be saved. She deserves to be rid of someone as vile as you.
"When she was young somebody told her that her destiny was tied with the Lazarue Eye. She was but a little child at that time but I knew she didn't forget about the soothsayer, and the eye."
Kakashi stared at him, and gawd, his facial expression gave him away completely. The chief bandit supressed a victory smile. This guy surely knew her girl.

Understanding dawned at him. Kaiko was led to believe that stealing the Lazarus Eye was her fate… and she was determined in fullfilling whatever she was born to do. Someone like Kaiko who didn't have any home or family of her own (this guy over here doesn't meet Kakashi's standards for "family"), fate was the only thing she could hold on to.
"Kaiko is a beautiful woman, isn't she?" he asked with fake fondness. His men would definitely take this man down… take him by surprise, hit him before he could retaliate. And this senseless babbling, this could be his – the one eyed ninja's – last.
Leaves rustled behind him. He turned.

Kaiko was running as fast as she could, taking the less conspicuous way behind the trees and leaves. It was best to leave the place without anyone seeing her, even the villagers. The thought of leaving would also be less painful if she would just vanish, as if everything was just a bad dream.

But fate didn't want it to be that easy…

She heard a voice, so she quickly hid in the darkness and listened. The voice seemed all to familiar, and she heard her name. But it seemed to refer to her in kindness… or fondness. She took a closer look, and found the chief talking to someone… with…. silvery hair. That body and that posture, he need not turn around and show his face to introduce himself.
Kakashi…
From where she was hiding, she could identify the chief's face and Kakashi's back which was turned towards her direction. She could also see them talking, well, the chief does all the talking while Kakashi was frozen in place. What happened? What did they do? Why wouldn't he fight?
Oh god, he's in trouble..
She easily spotted a handful of the bandits, hiding behind trees and beneath the bushes, obviously preparing for an attack.
this isn't happening….
Kaiko then faced a predicament. If she doesn't do something fast, Kakashi could die. Those bastards could kill him. Trickery works well with this people. And by the looks of it, Kakashi may have fallen into their trap. She must do something.
But if she does something, then Kakashi would find out that she escaped. He would lock her up again, or even kill her. It was impossible to gauge him at this moment, for whatever feelings he might have felt for her are long gone.
what to do… what to do…
She bit her lower lip. She could just run off, take another route and flee as fast as she could. Yes, by then she would be free. But if she decides to do that, Kakashi might die. He needed her. She must do something. He once saved her life, isn't it fair to return the favor.
Somebody fom behind the bushes moved. Something in his hand caught Kaiko's attention. He was holding a knife. Kakashi was about to turn around. No.
"Kakashi!"
Kaiko was on her feet before she could even realize, and was running toward the man holding a knife.

Anko's attention was snatched by that loud scream slicing through the stillness of the night. It was Kaiko's voice. Damn. She fled from the battlefield and ran toward the direction of the scream. Ironically, she was trailing the path to her right, the path leading to the monument.
Damn. Damn. Damn.
Anko was among those people gifted with a sense of foresight, and at this very moment, it warned her of a huge disaster in the works.

He was swift as a violent wind, or even faster… she couldn't tell. A nearly unseen move of his hands and kunais were out flying in midair. Neither the chief nor the bandits in the darkness were able to dodge it. He was really fast, Kaiko thought to herself, beaming at how good his guy was. She fell to the ground in a loud crash, the kunai in her chest digging deeper into her flesh.

Kakashi was really fast that even Kaiko was unable to dodge the attack.

"Damn you!" Anko came running from nowhere, throwing shurikens, daggers and even smaller knives which she had collected from the battlefield behind her. Enemies were chasing her but she didn't care. They would serve their purpose later. For now, she was intent on saving her friends' lives.

Kakashi walked toward Kaiko's bleeding form. "Kaiko… I'm…"
She smiled. "You were… you're really great."
He looked at the kunai – his kunai -- on her chest and muttered, "I'm so sorry…"
"Where is the Lazarus Eye?!" chief asked angrily as he struggled to stand on his toes. It was hard, and painful, and impossible, because the kunai hit him in the stomach. But for some reason he kept laughing like a demented man. "So," he said, spitting the words out as the pain gripped him tighter, "what did I miss?"

Tears were building up in the corner of her eyes. "I'm glad… I was able to see you again." She tried to reach up to him, realizing that Kakashi was but an arms width away from her. He nodded his head and crouched next to her. She was badly wounded, and could possibly die. No. The wound is fatal. Kaiko will die. "God, Kaiko…" he wanted to embrace her, but that could force the kunai deeper into her flesh. He didn't want that. He wouldn't make her suffer any further.

Anko, through with his killing spree, marched toward the one with a wound on his belly. She specifically left this one for questioning, fully unaware that this was the leader of the Shinrin Bandits. "You should've remained in your cute little shed." She hissed, her voice cold and frightening. "Who are you, and why are you here?"
He chuckled. "You're cute."
She twisted the kunai in his stomach. The chief squirmed in pain.
"Answer my question."
Anko was half his age but her heartessness certainly rivaled his. "You should also form your band." Her hand was slowly moving toward the handle of the kunai when he spoke again. "Okay. Okay. We're Kaiko's family. We've come to get her back."
"Oh really…? How nice…" she said, but her voice lacked emotion.
"Why are you after the Lazarus Eye?"
He coughed. There was no laugh or chuckle. The pain was obviously getting into him. "The Lazarus Eye… you know nothing about…"
"Then tell me what I do not know!"
He didn't speak.
"Tell me!"
His breathing was labored. Anko would've given the kunai another jerk, but then, the wound was capable of supplying all the pain she needed.
"Tell me!" she was losing him.
"I want what's mine…" he said, lifting his hand to remove the kunai and then slashed his neck. Anko was too stunned by his last words to do anything, like restraining him or preventing him from killing himself.
"Anko..."
It was Kakashi's voice, calling her. Anko turned around. She finally remembered Kaiko. And she was wounded… by a kunai? An accusing glance darted toward Kakashi.
"Please, Anko, find Rin. Fast."
She was on her feet again, running for help.

Kakashi returned his attention on Kaiko,and her mumbling. He begged her to save her energy for later, but she refused to obey.
"I'm very sorry for… taking the eye… Kakashi."
"Shh… just rest."
"If I do, it might be for good." She breathed in. "I just want you to.. under… stand…"
"I do. I understand it now…"
She blinked. Tears fell. "Kakashi…"
"You're not going to die!" he assured her after seeing the pain of farewell in those tear-filled eyes. Running one hand over her hair, and removing the cover on his face with the other, he forced to smile. "Rin will be here. She's good with healing wounds. She was the one who stitched this eye." He pointed the scarred eye that reminded him of Obito's heroism. Kaiko tried to reach out and touch his face.
Kakashi realized that revealing his face was a big mistake when tears began to roll down his face. He knew, she is going to leave him for good. "You're going to be okay. We'll eat more ramen, I'll cook. And you'll see the clothes I bought for you. Three women tried it on just to help me figure out the appropriate size. I'm very sure it'll fit…."
She was crying. "Kakashi…"
"You're not going anywhere." It sounded more like a command. But no, this time, Kaiko could never obey him. He would not get it his way. "Please… don't."
Kaiko preferred to keep silent, not because words weren't there, but because her energy to speak seemed insufficient. She felt tired, weary and miserable. Her hand on Kakashi's face was getting heavy, she couldn't lift it any longer so she allowed it to fall.
"No." Kakashi grabbed her hand and pressed it against his cheek. He was crying, Kaiko could see the tears… but she couldn't feel them. And then she saw it…
The other eye. The scarred eye...
"God… no." she said faintly, moving her fingers to touch the lower end of the line over Kakashi's eye.
It was the eye that never weeps…
The sensation vanished. Kaiko was unable to feel the scar with her fnger but it was there, grinning at her, mocking her. It was all wrong… she was wrong.
Her grasp with life was slipping fast. Her eyes stared past him, something Kakashi had known all too well after seeing it a lot of times. She was going… leaving… "Kaiko I'm sorry. I'm very sorry for everything. For hurting you. For this."
Kaiko heard the soothsayer say: "Find the eye that never weeps and you will find your place". All this time, that eye had been with her, patiently waiting. It was she who focused her eye on other things, on other matters, occupying herself with other problems. She was too busy to notice. Kakashi was her home. He was the home she had longed for and dreamed about.
"I love you." She whispered.
And the last words had been said.

Rin looked at Kakashi and the body he was cradling in his lap. Afterwards, she noticed kunai stuck to the body. Kunai?! She blinked her eyes, hoping that would change the faulty image, but it didn't. The weapon that killed the body was definitely a kunai, not a dagger, not an unknown killing instrument made by some vagabond or foreign blacksmith. A kunai. From a ninja… of Konoha Village?
"Kakashi."
He looked up, his face visible even in the faint moonlight.
"Kakashi…. I….."
"Kaiko's gone." He said, his voice faltering.

fW woah... hang on people. we have one more chapter to go!