I am so SORRY for the delay of this chapter (the efects of writing about Kakashi, perhaps? =p) It happens that I had problems with my computer and had to study for a test of a very difficult subject at college.

The next one is already in progress and the last chapter is complete in my mind.

Thank you for your patience, for the reviews(specialy =]) and for reading.

*

"Are you OK?" Kurenai asked him, looking at him as if he was an alien or something.

"Of course I am. Why do you ask?"

"You arrived early, even before the time we were supposed to start."

Kakashi laughed.

"I admit that is a bit strange, but I'm fine. I'm great, actually. Now if you excuse, I have some paper to prepare for the meeting with Captain Anko."

With this Kakashi left Kurenai, who still couldn't believe he was in a good state of mind. He laughed in the inside, because he really couldn't be better. His weekend had been perfect.

After he had taken Sasuke home at Friday, he barely slept. He was so happy, so amused with the good luck he had, so thankful – for the first time since Obito's death – that his life had been spared… he couldn't wait for the next day. Would Sasuke like to go to the movies on Saturday?

Sasuke loved to go to the movies with him. The boy had told him that when he was a kid he hadn't gone much, and after the tragedy he barely had the money to; his eyes brightened with contentment when Kakashi had asked him. It was more about the opportunity than about the movie, they barely paid attention to the screen – Sasuke's mouth was way more interesting, and soft, and addicting; it had the consistence of honey but without being too sweet, it just had the perfect taste. This time he made sure they wouldn't go much further than kissing, though; if they were interrupted again like the night before Sasuke would end up committing a crime – if Kakashi didn't commit one first, that is. Besides, his friend Gaara was not stable yet and the Uchiha was visibly worried about him and Naruto.

On Sunday, Kakashi took him to the bridge they had talked about. It was peaceful there and it didn't have many people as the Rock Monument, there they could have more privacy and was a good place to talk. Kakashi believed they should talk more, Sasuke should know more about him to be sure he wanted a relationship with a detective who was a decade older than him and that could eventually die any time soon during work.

Sasuke, however, had once again surprised him. When they arrived on the bridge they kissed for a while, sat on a nearby bench and Kakashi decided to initiate the conversation.

"Sasuke, does our age difference bother you?"

The boy had sent him a confused look before some fear took place in his eyes.

"Are you having doubts? I'm eighteen, you know, you're not committing any crime…"

"I know, I know, that's not what I'm talking about. I don't have any doubt that I want to be with you. But I'm a decade older than you, and with time this difference will get more and more clear… Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I see…" and suddenly Sasuke smirked at him "You're afraid you can't keep up with my rhythm"

Then Sasuke laughed at the surprised face he had made. And with no warning Sasuke kissed him, deeply and passionately, almost sitting in his lap.

"Time will pass by, the difference will be clearer, but in the end we all grow old." So a playful grin graced his features "And, seriously, I doubt someone at my age could have a grip like yours, a breath like yours… not to mention the experience. Anyway, even if this things fade with time, we can go slowly, because there are more important things, right?"

Kakashi smiled at him, stroking his cheeks. A boy teaching him lessons? Well, perhaps their age difference wasn't that big. As for the physical part, all he had to do was leading a healthy life. And it sounded like Sasuke wanted to be with him for a looong time… that was all he really needed to hear, actually.

"Right."

Sasuke brought their foreheads together, a very light blush on his cheeks and a small smile.

"If you think you can escape from me, you are very wrong."

"I don't intend escaping from you. I won't let go of you in any circumstances, never forget that. After all, I do have a strong grip." He smirked pulling Sasuke even closer and silencing the boy's laughter with a kiss.

"And besides.." Sasuke started when they parted "You already have this grey hair, when you become really old no one would notice."

Kakashi laughed with him and said: "Is not grey, it's silver!"

"Right. And mine is not black, is a very, very dark navy blue." Sasuke answered sarcastic.

"Exactly." And again, Kakashi took the boy's mouth to silence his laughter. That always worked.

They talked a lot more, from silly things to even philosophical opinions, told each other about their lives and found they were very alike. Kakashi was not really surprised by that, of course, he had already seen in the boy many characteristics he possessed himself.

Sitting on his desk, Kakashi sighed. He wished the weekend had lasted longer. If he could, he would take Sasuke to his house so they didn't have to say good by at the end of the day, and he would convince him to leave the job at Ichiraku's to dedicate only to his studies. He had more than enough money to pay Sasuke's studies and keep them both well fed.

Suddenly, a hand was waved in front of his eyes. Gai was there trying to call his attention, Kurenai and Asuma right behind him, there was worry on their faces.

"Yes?"

"Kakashi, I need you to come here for a minute." Asuma said, serious.

He followed his friends to an empty room upstairs, where they used to talk to witnesses. There was a TV and a DVD on the table. Did they want Kakashi to see something? The serial killer face, perhaps? But then their faces shouldn't be that serious, as if there was something big to come. When Gai closed the door and Asuma turned on the TV he could barely stand still, what would he see?

The screen showed a long haired man leaving a car and dumping three bodies in front of Konoha Stadium. And suddenly it was possible to see his face.

A wave of shock and fear traveled through his body as he watched a pale face surrounded by dark long hair smiling evilly and walking calmly through the street as if nothing happened.

"Orochimaru…" he whispered.

"I thought it was him, by your description." Asuma said.

However, Kakashi was not listening, he had no idea what his friends were talking. All that was going through his head was that he had had the serial killer in his hands but didn't arrest him, and worse… he knew who the next victim was.

"Sasuke!"

Kakashi rushed out of the room and ran to leave the police station. He had to find Sasuke and warn him. From now one the boy was not leaving his sight even for a mere second! He would never forgive himself if something happened to the Uchiha. His life would probably end if Orochimaru achieved his goal.

When he got to his car, Asuma, Kurenai and Gai finally got to him.

"Kakashi, where are you going?!"

"We have a meeting with Captain Anko, even Tsunade will be here! They won't be pleased with—"

"Fuck what pleases them!" he yelled at them "We know who the serial killer is and that's what they want, put everyone in search for him. I know who his next target is; I've got to save him! Inform the captain about it, I'll keep in contact."

"Wait, I'll go with you. I'm your partner and you won't do this alone. You two lead the search for Orochimaru." Asuma said, entering the car as Gai and Kurenai rushed back inside.

"So, where are we going?" Asuma asked lighting up a cigarette.

"Konoha Law School." He answered, driving as fast as he could.

"Kakashi, be careful! Who is this person, anyway, for you to act like this?!" Asuma yelled as Kakashi nearly hit a bike.

"His name is Uchiha Sasuke."

Asuma fell to silence then.

"Oh. I understand…"

"No, you don't! I promised I would protect him! I promised to him, the fact that he and Obito are of the same blood is a mere coincidence." He said angrily to his friend. He knew people would think it was because of Obito.

"You're in love with him." Asuma quietly said "Pretty ironic… Does he love you back?"

"That's why we need to rush." He would never again allow that one who loved him died because of him, especially when he loved this person as deeply.

Sasuke was not there.

They searched through the entire campus, asked his professors and colleagues about him, went to the secretary… No one had seen him at university that day.

"So, where are we going now?"

"To the apartment he is living in" Kakashi answered as they got in the car "One of his friends, Gaara, who is the youngest son of that Suna politician, has some mental problems and often needs to be taken care of. Perhaps he had to stay at home because of this Gaara."

When he parked in front of the building, something like nervousness traveled through his body. This would be the first time he would be at Sasuke's apartment; it would also be the first time he would talk to his friends. He wondered if Sasuke had told his friends about what was happening between them. But soon that disappeared; there were more important things to be dealt with.

They knocked at the apartment door – the lack of security at the building made them worry – and waited patiently as they heard steps inside. The blond boy, Naruto, opened the door and Asuma immediately showed his badge, but it was not necessary since the boy recognized Kakashi.

"Hey! You're that detective! Sasuke's boyfriend!"

A wave of relief crossed Kakashi. Sasuke had not hidden anything from his friends. Something inside him warmed at the sound of the word 'boyfriend'.

"Yes, Hatake Kakashi. You're Naruto, right? Listen, Naruto, I have to speak urgently to Sasuke, is he home?"

"No…" then Naruto looked at him and to Asuma "Why did he show his badge as in an investigation if I am Sasuke's friend and you're his boyfriend?"

"Naruto, please, where is Sasuke?" he didn't want to scare the boy with the news about Orochimaru.

"Did something happen?" Naruto looked suspicious "You're not with Sasuke only because you need him for an investigation, are you?!"

Kakashi sighed, he would have to tell.

"I would never do that to him. Do you hear? Never. Now, look, what I'm about to tell you is a secret yet, ok? You can't tell anyone. OK?" as he saw the boy nodding he proceeded "You remember that Sasuke was attacked by his ex-neighbor, Orochimaru."

"Yes.." Naruto nodded, a frown appearing in his features.

"We discovered that this Orochimaru is the serial killer who assassinated your friend's father and the Commissary's grandfather. And we are sure he is after Sasuke right now. So please, is Sasuke home?"

Naruto's eyes were wide and he seemed to be in shock, lost of words.

"No… he is at Ichiraku's…"

"What is he doing there? He doesn't work there at day during the week."

"That guy who works there with him, Kabuto, called our house early this morning telling about a meeting their boss wanted to have and all the employees had to be there."

Suddenly, something clicked inside Kakashi's mind. Why did he have the feeling that it was a lie? It was not impossible that Sasuke's boss wanted a meeting at morning, but it sounded improbable, it sounded fake. 'Fake like Kabuto.' Kabuto was the strange thing in that story. First, Sasuke never paid any attention to his co-workers and it was not likely he had given them his number. Second, he had been living with Naruto for only two weeks, how could Kabuto know their number?

The events of the day Sasuke was attacked traveled through his mind. Before Sasuke left, Kabuto tried to talk to him but was not given any attention. And if Kakashi remembered correctly, Kabuto had a cell phone in his hand when he turned the corner. Perhaps..

"Kakashi." Asuma called him to reality "Ichiraku's was empty."

"What?"

"You passed in front of Ichiraku's on the way to Konoha Law School, I looked to the place, it was still closed and there was no one in there."

Kakashi and Asuma nodded to each other. Kabuto was the link.

"Wow wow, you two think that Kabuto lied to take Sasuke into a trap?" Naruto asked loudly. "But he seemed to be so nice!"

"Naruto, who is there?" a cold voice suddenly asked.

The red haired emo appeared behind Naruto and looked curiously to Kakashi and Asuma. After a moment of silent observation the emo spoke.

"Sasuke is in danger, isn't he?" Gaara asked. His green eyes stared blankly at Kakashi. "Please, save him."

For the third time in the day, Kakashi drove like a mad man through the city, heading to Ichiraku's. It should be opening by now, and Kabuto worked during the mornings. Anger grew inside him each time the memory of the guy's face came to his mind, he would have to hold himself to not beat the living shit out of Kabuto… actually, Asuma would have to hold him, because he really didn't feel like he wanted to be merciful to the bastard.

As they finally arrived, his heart was racing fast. However, for the first time in months, his heart was not beating for longing to see Sasuke, was pulsing with hatred. Kabuto would pay.